Waking Up to a Nightmare
by AthanatosOra
Summary: Naruto lived a good life. She had been given the title of Nanadaime Hokage at the young age of 24, she had the love of friends and an entire village. However, what happens when she finds out that it was all a dream? The Rikudou Sennin steps in and offers her salvation: Go back. She does, carrying with her knowledge, power... And her grim past. Time-travel, femNaru.
1. I Failed

**Rating: T for language, may be bumped to M later.**

**A/N: The "past" will be almost exactly like the canon manga/anime… Only, of course, Naruto is a girl. She also holds a larger amount of knowledge in regards to certain events(such as the Uchiha Massacre, Yugito's death, Obito's past) that she shouldn't have had access to. Basically, everything is the same up until mid-war in canon. That's when things take a turn for the worse for our heroine. I'll also be "filling in holes" for whatever isn't covered by the manga but this is written based on _my_ knowledge of the series, so if things conflict let me know. This is written based off of the manga mostly, but I will take some elements from the anime as well.**

**Written from a prompt for a friend. She wanted a super-powerful femNaruto that goes into the past. She also requested FemNaru/Sasu, but this is subject to change. Just be warned, even if the main pairing ends up being different, there will most likely be setup for FemNaru/Sasu since that was the original idea. Also, I am a firm believer in the idea that Sasuke and Sakura are rather bratty during pre-Shippuden. So, while they will see reason eventually, they may seem a bit excessively immature. Just a heads up, it's all with good reason, I promise.**

**In addition, this fic is heavily based on one of my favorite time travel fics by Fiachra Ochiern, "Doomed to Repeat."**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Also, this is my first fic, so a warning: questionable humor ahead(if any), rookie writing, etc. Read at your own risk, flame if you want, review if you want. Just don't say I didn't warn you.**

**This fic features: Time Travel, FemNaru, StrongNaru, OOCNaru(an adult Naruto in a child's body. Not to mention, female Naruto. It's going to be pretty OOC regardless).**

"Speaking"

'Thinking/Thought Conversation'

_Flashback/past memory_(or emphasis, on some occasions)

**Tailed Beast**

* * *

**I Failed**

Naruto's eyes widened. She stared at the figure in front of her, waiting, waiting for him to say that he was lying, to say it was a test of the sort. He only returned her gaze, his three eyes boring down into her very being.

Her eyes shifted lazily to her hands, palms up. They held a pale, wrinkled look to them, almost as though she had stayed in the bath for too long. She noted an odd swirl pattern adorning each of her fingertips, traveling up her fingers and arms.

She wrenched her eyes away and flung her arms to her sides. Her eyes settled to the ground between the two, and she worked to steady her breath.

* * *

_They had done it._

_Madara was dead. Kaguya was once again sealed._

_Obito had sacrificed himself to save Naruto and Kakashi, and for that she was eternally grateful, even if he had caused much hardship and pain along the way._

_Despite everything that happened, the point was, it was over. It was over, and they were going home to Konoha._

"_Home," Naruto spoke aloud. To think, after so many years of battling, training, trying to protect her precious people, she was finally granted peace._

_She was going home._

...

"_In most cases you would be sentenced to a life of containment or executed, but due to your aid in lifting the Eternal Tsukiyomi, this option is available," Kakashi intoned._

_Sasuke held his gaze for a fraction of a second before turning on his heel._

"_Wait."_

_He stopped but did not turn towards the source of the voice. "… What?"_

_Naruto scoffed. "No words of goodbye to your best friend? Your rival? Hell, I'm practically your damn sister."_

_When he did not turn to acknowledge her, she walked up to him and grabbed his good arm with her own, startling him. He finally turned to her._

"_I'll be waiting, Aniki," she joked with a humorous grin._

_The corner of his mouth twitched downwards and his eyes held indefinable emotions. Naruto decided to continue._

"_We'll all be waiting for you. Don't make any of us have to track you down again, or I'll beat your ass. Friends don't keep friends hanging, so you better come back."_

_Sasuke simply stared at her, seemingly searching. After a while he gave a curt nod before turning away and continuing down the road. Naruto and Kakashi stared after him for a while, even after his brooding form had disappeared into the horizon._

...

"_C'mon!" The boy whined. His furry counterpart did the same._

"_Nuh-uh. Not gonna happen," Naruto continued walking, ignoring the scene they were causing._

"_B-but I got stronger!"_

"_No."_

_Kiba ran in front of her and glared at her right in the eyes, forcing her to momentarily halt her trek. "It'll only take five minutes! Just a quick spar!"_

_Naruto scoffed. "Yeah, that sounds about right. It'll take four minutes and fifty-five seconds for me to let you try and land a hit, and then five seconds for me to knock you out unconscious. I don't have time for this, Kiba, I need to go to Tsunade's. She'll kick my ass if I'm late again."_

"_Hmph, as if you'll actually be able to learn anything with that brick for a brain," he muttered._

_Five seconds later Naruto had departed, leaving a noticeably beaten down Inuzuka in a bloody crater on the ground. Akamaru was lying down, happily chewing on the treat he received from the blonde._

...

"_Here, Hinata-chan!"_

_Naruto handed a snow-white lily to the Hyuuga heiress, who stared lovingly at the flower. "Thank you, Naruto-chan. What is it for?"_

_The blonde smiled, she was glad that Hinata was finally making some thorough progress with her stuttering and social problems. "It's for your flower-pressing hobby of course, and… I guess, it's an expression of our friendship. In all honesty, I really wish that I had gotten to know you sooner, maybe when we were kids. I think both of us could have really used the companionship," she stated simply._

_Hinata took out the book she always carried and opened it to an unused page. She gingerly placed the white lily between the pages and closed the book before returning it to it's normal position. She looked up at Naruto with a delicate smile. "… Thank you, Naruto-chan. Truly."_

"_No problem! We'll always be friends, and I'll always give you flowers to press!" Naruto grinned, and Hinata gave an equally bright smile._

...

_"Naruto."_

_The addressed blond halted her steps and turned around, smiling slightly when she recognized the teen._

_"Oh, hi Shino. What's up?"_

_The Aburame inclined his head in a solemn greeting. "I wished to ask if you could procure a sample of digitalis purpurea from the Yamanaka flowershop."_

_Naruto's eyes widened for a brief moment before narrowing, her face twisting. "Ugh. Damn it Shino, if I wasn't under Baa-chan's 'care' I wouldn't have understood your crazy lingo, and even so I have no idea what digita-di-_whatever _is. Why can't you get it yourself?"_

_"I would not ask it of you if I were capable of doing so independently. Why? Because I do not wish to utilize my comrades in such a manner."_

_The blond crossed her arms. "... You're not gonna tell me, are you?"_

_Shino inclined his head again, this time in acknowledgement. "That is correct."_

_With a sigh, Naruto nodded. "Fine, fine. I'll get your stupid deta-shit-something. But you owe me ramen for this, dattebayo!"_

_The Aburame gave the briefest of smiles. "I am indebted."_

...

"_Oh, hi Naruto!" Tenten smiled at the blonde who returned the gesture. "What're you looking for?"_

_Naruto shrugged and walked over to the counter. "Just visiting my weapon-fanatic friend… At least, that was the plan, but now I'm seriously thinking of getting something." She glanced over to a small blade, a tanto, that was sitting behind the counter. "… how much does that one cost?"_

_Tenten giggled. "You have a good eye!_

"_You still haven't answered me," Naruto mirthfully chuckled. "How much?"_

"_Oh, no, I can't sell it to you, I'm afraid," Tenten donned an exaggerated expression of sorrow._

_Naruto's face scrunched in confusion. "Why? Has someone already purchased it? Was it a custom order?" She crossed her arms. "Damnit, someone's already laid claim to it, huh?"_

_The weapons mistress smiled. "Yes to both, but it actually hasn't been claimed yet, per se…" Tenten placed the sword in a decorative box and placed it on the counter. She gave a small pout. "You know, you ruined your gift. Happy 21st Birthday, Naruto!"_

_Naruto stared at the aforementioned object._

"…_Huh?" Was her oh-so-intelligent reply._

_Tenten giggled. "It's your gift, silly! Don't tell me you forgot that it's your birthday?"_

_Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "Heh… What can I say? I never really had cause to celebrate when it was my birthday in the past… Thank you, Tenten. I really appreciate this." Naruto smiled and picked up the box. "… What are the specifications? Why did you choose this blade in particular?"_

_Tenten brightened visibly. "It's a chakra blade, and a really high quality one at that! The metal is an alloy of steel and a special chakra metal called "Blood Platinum," and works best with wind, fire, and lightning natures. Especially wind. It gets it's red hue from the blood platinum, and when I first found the metal I was completely ecstatic! There was no way that I wasn't going to make you a weapon without it!"_

"_You always get so enthusiastic when it comes to weapons." Naruto chuckled, taking out the blade to inspect it thoroughly. She noted the fine craftsmanship and the quality of the metal, inwardly praising her friend for her work. It hummed slightly as she channeled a portion of wind chakra into the blade and handle and she raised an eyebrow. "… How much would you say it is worth?"_

"_Eh…. Well, I didn't get that much since not a lot was needed for a tanto. The blade itself is about 70% blood platinum, which is actually a rather high amount… I think the worth is… about 90,000 ryo?"_

_Naruto coughed. "N-N-Ni-NINETY-THOUSAND RYO!?"_

_The weapons mistress simply nodded and smiled. "Yes, the price of blood platinum went up… There was a sudden shortage! I mean, it was always somewhat scarce, but all of a sudden it became that much more rare. Prices for it went up exponentially."_

_Naruto sighed defeatedly before bringing her into a hug. "… Thanks Tenten, but honestly! You don't need to give me something so expensive. The fact that you even made me something like this is plenty."_

_Tenten returned the hug. "It's no problem, Naruto."_

_The blonde left the shop with a spring in her step. The sharp pain in her head was momentarily ignored._

...

"_Yosh, Naruto-san! Let us spar and demonstrate our springtime of youth!"_

_Naruto smiled at Lee. "Hello, Lee."_

_It had been many years since the end of the war, and Naruto had come to greatly appreciate the green-clad man's enthusiasm and vigor for life. She had come to realize that their "springtime of youth" saying—Guy's and Lee's—held much more meaning than what some people realized. When she had put together the pieces of the puzzle, she gained a heightened respect for the two oddities of Konoha, and would sometimes have short conversations about her own thoughts on the matter._

"_Do you accept my challenge?" Lee looked curiously at Naruto, wondering why she had gone silent._

_Naruto was taken out of her musings and nodded, dragging him over to the nearest training field. "It's been a while since we've sparred. I'll make sure that you are unable to do your daily training for at least a week," she grinned manically._

_Lee, despite his fervor and appreciation for the blonde's power, gave a nervous chuckle._

...

"_HAH! I FINALLY BEAT YOU!" Naruto jumped up with glee and did a half-dance, half taunt. Shikamaru shrugged._

"_It was only a matter of time. It's not like you were ever an actual idiot."_

_Naruto grinned. "What are people going to say when they here that the Jounin commander Nara Shikamaru, lost to the DEAD LAST in a Shogi game? Hah!"_

_Shikamaru waved off the taunt. "Like I said, only idiots still think that your idiot-guise was real. Almost everyone in Konoha has realized that you are a formidable opponent in strength, techniques, and mind-games. There is no shame to losing to you." He saw Naruto's appreciative gaze and sighed. "Troublesome."_

"_Heh, well I think I'm on a roll!" Naruto began setting up the pieces again. "Let's go for one more ro-"_

_She hunched over and fell into a coughing fit, and Shikamaru sat in place stunned. When he recovered his bearings he rushed to Naruto's side._

"_Naruto? What's wrong?" The Jounin commander held a hand to her back and felt the trembling of her smaller frame. His concern for her was genuine, and he waited for her to compose herself._

_She slowly removed her hand from her mouth and spoke in a low tone. "… Sorry about that, Shika. I'm fine, I promise, the doctors have been taking care of it…"_

_Shikamaru probably saw through her lie. He probably saw through her "fine" facade. Inwardly, she was trembling and afraid._

_In her hand, there was a rather prominent crimson liquid._

...

"_Do you have any flowers that don't mean love or whatever? I mean, sure, it's sweet and all, but it's sooo cliche." Naruto twirled the rose in her hands unenthusiastically and motioned towards all of the other blossoms._

"_That's rude! Of course we have flowers with other meanings, and love is not _cliche_!" Ino huffed. She walked over to a batch of flowers and pulled out a rather sparse-looking white flower and a small branch adorned in small flowers, similar to fruit tree blossoms._

"_This is the rainflower," she lifted the white flower slightly, "it means, 'I will never forget you.' The almond blossom holds the meaning of 'promise.'" She lifted the branch adorned with small flowers._

"_Mm." Naruto noticed an odd coniferous plant in the corner of her eye. "Does this one have flowers too? It looks like a branch from a tree."_

_Ino laughed with mirth. "Hah, you're close. It is indeed a part of a tree. It's called thuja, or arborvitaes. It symbolizes everlasting friendship."_

"_I didn't know you weren't strictly a girly flowergirl."_

_The platinum blonde rolled her eyes at the insult. "I'm a botanist. I specialize in flowers, but I also have extensive knowledge with herbs, trees, and general plant-life. A lot of it is for my medical practices."_

_Naruto placed her elbows on the counter and hummed to herself. "'I will never forget you.' 'promise.' And 'everlasting friendship.' I like these three."_

"_The plants themselves or their meanings?" Ino questioned as she placed the flowers back in their respective pots._

_Naruto smiled. "Both."_

...

"_Another bowl, Teuchi-jiisan!"_

"_Me too!"_

_Naruto sent a glare Chouji's way and he sent an equally potent one._

_The two had ended up having an eating contest. Naruto couldn't even remember why, or how, but she had accepted his challenge… It had been many years since she had last had an eating contest with the Juurokudaime Akimichi head. She had to admit, it was rather fun going up against the infamous bottomless pit._

_19 ramen bowls later for her, 18 ramen bowls later for Chouji, and Naruto was declared the winner._

"_Hah! I won this time, Chouji! What's the record now? Six to Five?" She turned to her friend who was begrudgingly counting what he owed the ramen shop owner._

"_Hmph! You were lucky this time!"_

_Naruto smirked as she watched her friend's wallet deflate—quite literally. "Sure, sure. Man, we should do this again some time, I almost forgot how fun it was to just hang out and do stupid crap like this with friends, y'know?"_

_Chouji graced her comment with a small smile. "I know what you mean. There has been a ton of missions lately, what with all of the hidden villages recovered. For the most part, anyway."_

"_Well, there will be even more missions once I become Hokage! To strengthen ties with the other villages and to protect the five great nations, it'll take a lot of work! I'll need each and every one of you to help me on my quest."_

_Chouji chuckled with amusement. "Of course."_

_Without warning, Naruto's head fell forward onto the table, and Chouji stared at her with confusion. "… Naruto?"_

"_Maa, don't worry Akimichi-kun. I'm sure Naruto-chan is just feeling the 19 bowls she just ate." Teuchi glanced with slight worry apparent in his eyes. He handed back the money that Chouji had given him. "Take her home and make sure she is alright though, and the meals are on the house. Just for today."_

_The Akimichi leader accepted the gesture graciously and helped his half-conscious friend home._

...

"_Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto started._

_The head medic set her papers down and looked up at the blonde. The two had become great friends in the past ten years following the war. For a while, things once again became tense between the two, their relationship becoming as acidic and harmful as it was in their early Genin days. However, the aftermath of the war had seen them both mature greatly, and they grew to appreciate the bond they shared—if not simply because of the many losses they both experienced._

_They made this a habit, these daily visits. Naruto would stop by just before lunch, they would chat for half an hour, and the two would go back to their individual lives with more vigor._

"_Yes, Naruto?"_

_Naruto gingerly placed her cup back on the coffee table in front of her. She looked up at Sakura, sincerity in her eyes._

"… _You know, despite the past… Despite our battles, differences, discrepancies, I am eternally grateful that we… That we were put on the same team. I just want you to know that I consider you a great and irreplaceable friend."_

_Sakura gave a mirthful chuckle. "I feel the same, Naru. But don't you see everyone as irreplaceable?"_

"_Heh," the blonde scratched the back of her head, "I guess so. But you're like… A _sister_ to me. We've had our fair share of fights and clashing ideals, but ultimately, we always made up. I'd like to think that we've a solid understanding of each other at this point… And I don't think that I'm far off with this hope."_

_Sakura snorted. "No kidding. It was so weird when I found out you were a girl, for the longest amount of time I thought you were a cheeky brat with a stupid crush on me. It's _still_ awkward to think about!"_

"_I know," Naruto rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I was just so desperate for attention back then. Honestly, I'm sorry for whatever headaches I gave you…" She looked up at her pink-haired teammate and smiled. "Like I said, even though we've had our discrepancies, we always ended up resolving the issues. I really do consider you a sister."_

_Sakura gave a bright smile. "I have to agree. It's a little difficult to not become inseparable friends with someone you've known for fifteen years, after all… And you are one of the most stubborn people I know. Even if I tried to rid you from my life, I think it'd be impossible."_

"_Hey!" Naruto pouted. "You make it sound like I'm some kind of detestable, ill-wanted presence."_

_The two continued their back and forth banter on amiable terms, befitting sisters._

...

_**"You're dying, kit."**_

_It was as simple as that. Kurama's bluntness was, at times, a refreshing contrast to Naruto's own uncertain and indirect acceptance to her plight._

_The blond pinched the bridge of her nose._ "_Yes, thank you for informing me. I already knew." And it wasn't a lie. She had simply decided to store that bit of information away in the far reaches of her mind, never to surface again until she experienced her final moments wherein she would say, 'oh, it's now.'_

_**"****Then why,"**__ Kurama growled, __**"have you refused to tell anyone? I am certain that the old slug hag would've been able to do something if you told her… Heck, she might still be able to save you. This is a wound of the soul, kit, and the fact that you insist on continuously using your chakra is only-"**_

"_Kurama." Naruto spoke, silencing him. "… I know. I know that I am dying, and I know I probably should have told Baa-chan. I know I probably should've stopped using so much chakra; it was early on that I realized that my own chakra was corrosive and eating away at my body… My soul. But I wish to give as much as possible to Konoha, even if it ends in my death."_

_She gave a small chuckle. "I think it fits. I'd rather die young while giving as much as I can to my beloved village than live a long life where I am trying to run from the inevitable." She tapped her chin in a contemplative manner. "Oh, but don't worry Kurama. Before I die, I'll be sure to release you from your seal for good."_

_**"That is not the point!" **__The fox bellowed in anger, appalled at—dare he say it—his _friend's_ cavalier attitude towards her own life._

_Naruto simply shook her head. "I'm sorry, Kurama. It's what I've decided. Quite frankly, I've done what I needed to do. I've lived my life. I wish to give the remainder of my life to Konoha, and nothing could make me happier. I've already made preparations for Konoha to continue after my death; my successor, my will, my legacy. I just…. I've done as much as I can for Konoha at this point, there is no need to spend the rest of my life clamoring to try and extend my life. It's already too late."_

_The conversation ended, and Naruto went on with her daily chores._

...

_The feeling of the ruby necklace with a telltale Uzumaki spiral, falling against her chest with each step, was arrhythmic to her heart. The man who had gifted her the trinket held her hand in a firm grasp as he lead her to their destination._

_His ebony hair bounced slightly with each step, and onyx eyes were out of her view, though she thought back fondly to moments before. His eyes held such happiness, such care, such emotion that she had never seen before. Not in those eyes, at least. Those eyes which usually held cold indifference, calculating hatred and antipathy, those eyes that could go from a bleak, glassy-obsidian colour to a deep scarlet._

_The eyes of her long-time rival and best friend._

_Her heart beat faster as she found herself being dragged into the Hokage tower, wondering just what was going on._

_In the office, she saw most of the Konoha 11, along with the Sand Siblings, the Jounin senseis, Yamato-taichou, Iruka-sensei, Tsunade-baachan, and of course, the Rokudaime Hokage—Kakashi. Her eyes flitted from figure to figure, confusion evident in her motions and eyes._

"_Uzumaki Naruto."_

_Kakashi's voice held the superior and commanding tone, befitting that of a Hokage. Immediately, Naruto's attention shot to him and she straightened. "Yes, Hokage-sama?"_

_Kakashi motioned for Naruto to come closer. He was not sitting at the desk, but standing in front of it. Naruto noted that the desk was, oddly, bare. She noticed that it was not just the desk, but the room itself was rather empty with the exception of a few furniture items and the people currently occupying it._

_Naruto felt Sasuke's grip on her hand loosen and she walked forward, slowly, with clear trepidation._

"_You were once the pariah of this village." Naruto flinched, still wondering what all of this was about. "You were shunned and alienated by the village, refused at every threshold, and seen not as Uzumaki Naruto, but the Kyuubi incarnate. You lived without parents, family, love, affection, friendship."_

_Naruto felt her shoulders sag imperceptibly. Why? What was the point of this? Sure, she had gotten over most of her grudges about her past, but it didn't mean she was comfortable with someone—her village leader—reciting the damnable memories. Her hands clutched the necklace she received only minutes earlier._

"_However," Kakashi continued. The blonde did not notice his hands reach up to grab the Hokage hat that sat atop his head. "Despite all odds, criticisms, vitriolic stares and curses, you continued to grow. You continued to prove each and everyone of your offenders wrong, about who you were and what you were capable of."_

_Sapphire eyes looked up in surprise. Naruto glanced around the room and noticed that all of her friends had looks of lachrymose pride, happiness, and many other emotions within their eyes._

"_Despite your burdens and despite your lack of love from a young age, you turned around and gave your own understanding and acceptance to each person you met. You managed to befriend and make a home in the hearts of many, including the tailed beast within you. You have shown great ability to connect with people, and a charismatic personality that motivates people to follow you. Nothing is more important than the safety and happiness of those important to you, and you take the teachings and ideals of past Hokage to heart."_

_Kakashi gingerly placed the Hokage hat onto Naruto's head and watched with amusement as her eyes widened comically. He smiled. "Now, you shall continue on your path, protecting and guiding the people of Konoha, as you have done many times in the past. However, from now on, you will do so with this title of 'Hokage,' the fire's shadow, and serve as the greatest support and power within this village."_

_Everyone in the room bowed, and Kakashi delivered the final blow. "I couldn't be more proud of you, Nanadaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto. May you continue the legacy of your predecessors, to protect the budding leaves that make Konoha."_

_Naruto looked fondly at everyone, though it was difficult when she couldn't see their eyes. She let out a light cough to try and alleviate her nerves. "Ahem, well… I suppose my first order—demand as Hokage… Stop bowing! And stop being so formal Kakashi-sensei, It's ruining the mood 'ttebayo!"_

_Everyone looked up and chuckled, and Naruto motioned to hug each and every one of her friends. Not a single person in that room missed the obvious mist fogging the young Hokage's eyes as she gave each of them bone-crushing hugs._

...

"_Booooring!"_

Stamp

"_Uuuugh, I don't want to do thiiisss."_

Stamp

_A cough was heard and Naruto lazily lifted her eyes to meet those of her Jounin commander. "Hokage-sama, I have the reports here-"_

_Naruto interrupted him. "Shika! This is so _boring_… And trust me, boring is multitudes worse than troublesome. I don't want to sit here and stamp papers all day!"_

"_Well, you aren't supposed to simply stamp papers all day. You are supposed to read them," Shikamaru drawled with a roll of his eyes._

"_Wha-of course I do! It's just so repetitive. I can see how paperwork is considered the number-one enemy of all Kage… I want to go out on dangerous missions and just do stuff!"_

Stamp

_Shikamaru shrugged and sat down, not yet wishing to clock out and meet the wrath of his young and fiery wife. He brought out a thick folder and opened it, seemingly checking through the papers._

_The repetitive sound of stamping and rustling paper was the only thing that broke the silence for a period of time. After it had continued for a while, Naruto decided to speak up._

"… _We've all grown."_

_Shikamaru lifted his eyes from the documents he was perusing. "Hmm?"_

"_We've all grown," Naruto reiterated, "No longer are we the 'leaves of the tree.' We are now the roots that support it."_

_The Nara leader smirked. "That's how it works. We as the roots are what keep Konoha running and functional. Without us, everything would be in chaos, there would be no direction and no order. But that is also why you cannot just leave the village and take missions as you would like. What tree can momentarily remove its roots and continue to thrive?"_

_Naruto groaned. "I know, I know. As the Hokage, I and many of my trusted friends—" Shikamaru coughed and interjected, 'subordinates.' "…. Yeah, my _friends_, are the roots of this system. We are meant to ground Konoha, keep it stable and secure in more ways than one; political, moral, emotional, etc."_

_She looked out through the window to behold her beloved village. "… I love Konoha. It feels odd to me, simply sitting in a chair and doing paperwork all day. For my entire life, I had been fighting, fighting to protect and build friendships. All that time, I had never been given a moment's reprieve, simply because I didn't have the time to. I always had to work and train, for fear of my enemies deciding to take away all of my happiness."_

_She turned back to her Jounin commander and smiled. "It's weird, that much is not debatable. But I have accepted the fact that this is what my village needs of me. Should the time come that I need to personally defend my village, just as Jijii had, then I will. Should I need to sacrifice my life to save my village, just as Otou-san had, then I will. And I hope that, as I lay on my deathbed, taking in my last breaths of life… That all of you will be there for me in my final moments. And then immediately after, all of you will be able to continue on as though nothing had changed, so that Konoha does not suffer."_

_Shikamaru held her gaze with suspicion, which was returned with a wry smile._

...

"_My fellow shinobi, it has been ten years, ten long years since the end of the war! Eight years since the Yondaime Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi's ascension, six years since the Godaime Raikage, Darui's ascension, and five years since my own! In the past, our countries and respective villages have been at odds with each other, due to conflicting goals. It had taken the emergence of a mutual enemy to unite us, and after the ordeal had passed we struggled to repair amiable ties with one another._

_It was a promise made, to friend and foe alike, that peace would be achieved and that the cycle of hatred would be broken. After the war, each of the Kage worked on programs and methods to strengthen the friendship we hold between the villages. It is easy to say that, at this point, we have achieved what we set out to do._

_In the future, I understand that this arrangement will not last. There will always be people searching for conflict, people who wish to stoke the fires of hatred and vengeance. People will change, ideals will change, and the world along with it. However! Here, and now, we all stand together as we did in the last war, as proud shinobi! From now on, may we continue to work towards peace and understanding, for in our world, our strength does not come from raw power."_

"_It comes from here," Naruto tapped a finger on her temple, "and here!" her hand rested on her left breast, indicating her heart._

"_Never forget the mistakes of your predecessors, or the consequences that followed. Always strive for the better tomorrow, for the future generations to come! For we are shinobi!"_

_The masses cheered and hollered as the Nanadaime stepped away from the podium. Her fellow Kage walked up to her and praised her for the speech, and they talked about matters of both trivial meaning and great import. The ceremony had been a success, and they had succeeded in riling their people. To enact the necessary laws to ensure peace no longer seemed like a ticking time bomb._

_In the evening, Naruto found herself in her office._

_She walked over to the only picture she had of her parents—her mother and father smiling happily, the former with the swelled stomach that would be born as "Uzumaki Naruto." The current Nanadaime._

_Naruto chuckled, oh how she wished she could have achieved all of this with her parents still alive. How she wished she could have saved everyone that was gone, Jijii, Ero-sennin, Neji, Itachi, Obito, and many others…_

_A sharp pain through her chest shook her out of her reverie, and she collapsed to the ground while releasing dry hacking coughs. Her hands flew up to her mouth to stifle the coughs, each one sending jolts through her body that wracked her small frame._

_She could not find the strength to so much as sit up, and she found herself curled in the fetal position on the floor. One hand, her right, was held over her mouth while the other gripped and clawed at her chest in a feeble attempt to alleviate the pain. When the coughing fit had subsided, she wearily withdrew her right hand and watched as it fell to the ground. She could not even find the strength to lift it and inspect the damage… But she did not need to._

_She felt the warm liquid slip through her open fingers and pool underneath her hand._

_Her eyelids drooped and she felt herself drifting off into darkness. 'How ironic,' she thought with dry humor. 'I was born alone, and on the day I was born I lay next to the corpses of my parents…. Now, as I lay weak and dying, I am alone once again…'_

_Naruto's eyelids shut and she felt the tenseness of her body release._

'_How ironic, indeed…'_

...

_She woke up, bleary-eyed and confused. She could not move her body, and she gazed blankly at the ceiling above her._

"_..a..to!"_

_What was that? She heard sounds… Someone was speaking. To her?_

"_Na..uto!"_

_She blinked and shifted her eyes to try and find the person speaking her name. All she could see were blurred figures. She didn't know if it was due to drowsiness or if her eyes had truly degraded so much. She noticed a familiar figure walking up to her, colours of blonde, green, and grey clashing against the white walls. It was Tsunade._

"_Why did you not say anything about this sooner?"_

_The slug hime's voice was harsh. Naruto strained to make out a discernible figure, and noticed something peculiar. Tsunade of the Sannin, reputed for being the best medical-nin in history, with power and ability rivaling her two teammates._

_She was crying._

"_Heh…" Naruto struggled to keep her voice steady. The tears in her godmother's eyes did not help. "Sorry, Tsunade-baachan… I wanted to be Hokage-" She fell into a lung-tearing coughing fit and found that a glass of water had been placed in her hands. She gulped generously and looked Tsunade in the eyes._

"_I wanted to be Hokage. I… I wanted to fulfill my dream, before I died-" Tsunade interrupted her._

"_That's not the point, that isn't why I was asking! Had you told someone, had you let me know, we could have done something-!"_

_Naruto's fingers found their way to her arm and she felt for the catheter that she knew was there. She gripped the foreign object and ripped it out, decidedly not wanting it attached to her anymore._

_Naruto heard multiple voices cry out. "Naruto, what are you doing!?"_

_She took a measured look around the room this time and noticed that she was not alone in the room with her Godmother. All of her friends, along with multiple other people she had known crowded the tight space. Their faces had expressions of sadness and grim acceptance. Even the usually stoic faces of Gaara and Sasuke looked panicked, worried even._

_Naruto felt her eyesight dimming once again, and she welcomed the darkness. "I already knew… That my death was approaching. It's something unavoidable-"_

_She vaguely felt someone grip her left hand and tried to identify the person, but her vision was gone at this point. Resigned to not finding out who held her hand, she turned her head to face the ceiling and closed her useless eyes._

_Slowly, the darkness overtook her senses, and she felt nothing._

* * *

Sapphire eyes drifted up to meet amaranthine, her's weary and sepulchral, lacking in it's usual vim and vigor.

She opened her mouth and struggled to speak. Her words were almost inaudible. "… A dream?"

The man in front of her, the Sage of Six Paths, nodded his head. "I need not reiterate my statement. You understand."

Naruto didn't let her gaze drift. Images of the past—the past that apparently never existed—flitted innocently through her mind.

"… Since when?" Naruto's voice faltered and she struggled to hold the emotions that were swirling in fulmination. "Since when was I… Were we…?"

"As soon as Kaguya was resurrected."

The light in her eyes died. "… I see… That's…"

"We do not have time," Hagoromo's voice grew severe. "I must be brief. Do you understand why you have been awoken, Child of Prophecy?"

'Why I was..?' Naruto gasped, hope dawning on her features. "If I'm alive, does that mean-"

"No." He cut her off quickly, and her face fell. "But now is not the time to lament the dead. No human on this planet is alive, save for you."

The full emotional weight of being the only person on earth was almost enough to kill her right there. Just minutes prior, she was saying goodbye. Goodbye to all of her important people. But that was because _she_ was leaving the world,_ she_ was supposed to be dead. She was supposed to disappear from the world while her friends continued to live their vibrant lives, filled with the happiness and joy Naruto wished them to have…

"Why was I awoken?" Naruto snapped. "I… I failed. Each person, everyone… They were my dream, my life. My _world_."

She tightened her fists and blood seeped through her fingers. "… And now, you tell me that everyone is dead. My dream is _dead_. My world is _dead_. My life…" Naruto let out an acrimonious laugh escape her lips before sending a glare at the Sennin. "Why the fuck am _I_ the one who still lives? If everyone is dead, then what is the point!? Some _Child of fucking-Prophecy_ I turned out to be!"

She was tired, oh, so tired. What did he want of her? To gloat? To rub it in her face that she was unable to save a _single damn person_ that she cared for? She grit her teeth and seethed.

Hagoromo seemed to look at her with an almost disparaging look—a mixture of slight sympathy and slight disappointment—though his face was mostly taciturn. Naruto felt her rage come out in seething breaths.

No one. There was no one with her now. None of her friends, no one from her slapped-together family, not even Kurama—

Kurama.

She didn't even have Kurama. No, not "_even,_" simply put, _she didn't have Kurama_. Not anymore. The damned fox that, even if she didn't _know_ him for the entirety of it, she was _with _him for the entirety of her life. In some twisted manner, he had become her closest friend, both literally and figuratively. It wasn't until the war that they had truly begun to understand each other, to truly form a bond, and she didn't know whether or not she actually considered him a friend.

But still, he was gone. She failed to stop the Juubi from awakening, failed to save Kurama.

She failed him. Just as she had failed everyone else.

Her head hung low and she felt the stinging sensation in her eyes, the unbidden tears pooling. She failed Kurama. She failed Tsunade-baachan. Kakashi-sensei. Sakura-chan. Sasuke. B-occhan. Gaara. _Everyone_.

"You have a chance, a chance to change everything."

At this, Naruto's head snapped back up and she looked at the Sennin, confusion marring her features. She dared not allow her hopes to rise. "… What do you mean?"

"If you cooperate, you can go back in time."

Her eyes narrowed. It would take too long if they played this back-and-forth banter, and she wanted to hear everything. If it turned out to be a false pretense, she didn't want to waste time, she was too weary and broken. "… Back up. Let's just… start over for a second. Pretend I just got out of my daze, and I was unable to speak. Talk to me, tell me what you were going to tell me. _Everything_."

Hagoromo gave an assessing gaze before nodding curtly. "Very well," he breathed. "… You can go back into the past, Child of Prophecy. I have decided that you will be my heir, my heritor, to my powers. As such, you will be able to perform the deed yourself, and will have the ability and knowledge to change what you must."

Silence pervaded and Naruto sighed, realizing that she would need to ask specific questions if she wanted more answers. "… How does this time travel-thing work? When in the past am I going to end up? Why am I alive when everyone else is… gone? How exactly am I going to be your successor? And what is the catch?"

"Time travel is not a simple endeavor. You will need years of preparation, how many, I do not know. The technique is a one-time use, and requires three factors: chakra, blood, and a strong mind. The exact point in time you end up is dependent on your execution of the technique, though with full mastery you should be able to navigate to the exact point you wish."

"In regards to being my successor… You were placed into the Eternal Tsukiyomi before we had met, and as such, the Rikudou Sennin that you encountered was not real. That is what you recall. However, that is not the case."

Naruto remained silent, signaling him to continue. "In truth, that was me, not a conjured figment of your mind. I had entered your mind in the hopes of stirring you from the illusion, but Kaguya had managed to dispel me before I managed to rouse you from your forced slumber."

"So," Naruto scratched her chin. "That was really you. We really spoke. Does that mean I actually did use your chakra? That if I took your chakra right now, that I'd be able to use it? And if Kaguya interfered before, why didn't she interfere now?"

"You had my chakra, and you did indeed manage to utilize it, though not in the manner you had envisioned within your dreams. I could give you my chakra at this very moment, but your current physical state is lacking, and your body would most likely collapse in on itself due to the sudden influx. My interference is the reason for your resistance, and why you 'died' at an early age in the Genjutsu. In order to awaken you, you needed to die in the dream world."

Naruto's mouth formed into a thin line as she reflected on her death. A sudden thought occurred to her. "Oh, that reminds me. How old am I? I was 29 when I died in the genjutsu, eleven years after we supposedly won the war…" Naruto looked down at her borderline emaciated frame and cringed.

"It has been two years."

"I see," she intoned. "You didn't answer two of my questions, by the way. What is the catch, and if Kaguya was a problem before, why isn't she now?"

"There is no catch."

Naruto raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Pardon?"

"I repeat, there is no catch. Contrary to popular belief, the concept of time travel and altering the past is not a forbidden or morally unjust action. There is no exchange to take place for you to change the past. The only consequences are those that you create through your decisions."

"So, no sacrifice needs to be made? I don't need to give an arm, an eye, part of my soul, no immense task?"

"No. As I said, whatever consequence you are wrought is determined by your actions. Should someone die before their time, their death will be weighted on your shoulders due to your meddling, but no other supernatural extremities shall occur."

Naruto pondered the information she was given. Somehow, the knowledge of there being no boundaries and limits to changing time did little to comfort her… It made her even more hesitant. "… What about Kaguya?"

Hagoromo closed his eyes and settled into a meditative position whilst in the air. "… She is asleep."

"What?"

"She has been asleep for approximately sixteen days. She sleeps to maintain the Infinite Tsukiyomi, and awakens at the end of each month. We do not have much time, we must send you into the past before she awakens."

Naruto crossed her arms. "You said that it takes years of preparation for the time travel jutsu. Besides, if I'm going back into the past, I want to be prepared."

Hagoromo opened a single amaranthine eye and stared at Naruto.

"What? I want to make certain that I'm going to be fine when I'm in the past. I am going to learn as much as I can now while there are no wars, political battles, and stingy shinobi guarding their shit. Besides, there has to be _some_ way to avoid detection from the big-bad-bitch when she wakes up."

Naruto could swear that she saw the corner of the Sennin's lip twitch upwards, slightly.

"I see," he nodded. "There is indeed a way to avoid detection. But it requires utilizing sage chakra, which you are not physically ready for."

Naruto nodded. "Alright, then. Training trip. We go to Suna first, then Iwa, Kumo, Mizu, and then Konoha. There are some techniques I want, some history scrolls to brush up on, and the like."

The Sennin shook his head. "I'm afraid I cannot leave here, child."

Naruto paused and looked up at him, eyes questioning why.

"My presence is dwindling. Kaguya's presence is engulfing mine, rendering my own existence moot. It is only while I stay by the husk of the Ten-Tails that I am able to maintain a visible form at all."

"… Is that why you can't send me back yourself? Why you can't go back yourself?" Naruto questioned.

"In a way, yes. But I would not have been able to change anything, anyway." He leveled his gaze. "Only you can complete this task, Child of Prophecy. You have seven years to gather what you must, no more, no less. You will return to me in seven year's time, and we will then perform the time travel technique to send you back through time."

"Then you'll take care of whatever 'preparations and stuff?"

"Yes."

"How do I avoid Kaguya?"

Hagoromo contemplated the question for a minute before stepping forward. He tapped Naruto's forehead with a single finger and stepped back.

"… What was that?" Naruto reached up to touch her forehead. She felt no different.

"I transferred a small portion of my chakra to you. You will learn to channel it, to make it your own, and to utilize it to conceal your presence from Kaguya. She will not be able to detect you."

Naruto nodded, weariness written in her eyes and posture. "Alright. Thanks, Sennin-oji. I guess... I guess I'll be back in seven years."


	2. In Memory

**Rating: T**

**A/N: Another day, another chapter. Just kidding, this chapter was already written out by the time I published the first. I just had to read over this one to make sure it was satisfactory before I published it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**In Memory**

She walked to their meeting place, the same dead root that she had emerged from seven years prior. Seven years or no human contact, interaction, socialization, no friends, no bonds… She felt dead.

It was in those seven years that she truly realized: she was alone.

But it wouldn't be that way for long, that is what she told herself every day. Everyday, for the first four years or so. But after a while, she stopped, she wondered, and she realized. Was it really such a good idea to go back into the past and behave as if nothing was wrong? Behave like she had any other time, as though she _hadn't_ just met her friends for the second time?

No, they will not be her friends. She lost her friends long ago, she reasoned. Even if they looked the same, even if they acted the same, they were not the people she had come to befriend. The people she made bonds with, the people she _belonged_ with, were long dead. Making friends with their less mature lookalikes wouldn't stop the pain. It would only increase it, and make Naruto realize exactly how empty she was.

She was going back, to fix things. To change this bleak future into one where everyone was _alive _and _smiling_.

But she was going to be alone, again.

Over the course of the seven years she had been training, she had plenty of time to think about what she would do with this gift. Many scenarios went through her head, but each time she found herself yearning for outside input. Input that no one could give, because she was the last living person on the planet.

She walked up to the meeting spot and saw the Sennin, sitting/floating in his normal position. He was staring at a seal of intricate design on the floor. 'That must be it,' she thought silently.

"Hey, Sennin-oji," she struggled to speak out, but her words came out as raspy and barely audible. She hadn't used her voice in actual conversation in many years, and she realized she should've been doing so. "… What should I do? Should I change the future? Should I stop certain events from happening? The Uchiha Massacre? Jijii's death? Should I go even further back in time and save Obito and kill Madara? What should I do?"

Hagoromo glanced in Naruto's direction. Her head was down, her face covered by her two hands. "I do not know the answer to that. What you choose to do is up to you."

The blonde sighed. She was no further in deciding what to do, and her first human-ish contact in seven years was pitiful. Just pitiful.

"… Before we begin, there is some information that I must divulge to you. As I pass on my chakra and abilities to you, I will also be including memories from key events that you might find useful. You will experience major events such as the Uchiha Clan Massacre, first-hand."

Naruto cringed when he said 'first hand.' 'I really hope that doesn't mean I'm going to be killed over and over again,' she thought petulantly.

"The knowledge you gain includes my own styles of Taijutsu and Kenjutsu. I believe you will find them rather useful." He allowed his feet to touch the ground and he slowly walked over to the center of the large diagram. "… You cannot send back anything tangible, nothing with physical mass can make it through the journey. Which is why I have decided to gift something to you before you depart."

He made a small gesture to Naruto, telling her to stand at the center of the diagram. She did as told, and opened her mouth to ask him what he was going to do when a sharp pain pierced her skull.

Immediately her hands flew up to the sides of her head to ensure that it truly _was_ just a pain and not an actual object that had just shot through her head. She sighed out of relief to find that there was no foreign object protruding from her brain.

She turned to the sage, who placed his palm on her forehead. "… What are you doing? And what was that?"

"That was my gift. Within the far reaches of you mind, I have stored the memories of two bijuu, the oldest and youngest… Kurama and Shukaku. I had to forcefully store away the memories, for they are not your own. What you intend on doing with these memories is your decision, though it is my opinion that they will be of great use to you."

He stepped back, out of the array, and everything within the diagram's circumference began to glow. Naruto sent a small look at the Sennin. "… What will happen to you?"

Hagoromo closed his eyes and his head tilted forward slightly. "I need not reiterate what you already know. Do what you must, Child of Prophecy, and be wary. I have helped you as much as I can, for it is now up to you."

His eyes opened with sudden force and golden light replaced his normally amaranthine orbs. "Do not let preconceptions force you to ignore a dream, for they oft hold more truth than the reality."

Those were the last words that were spoken before the blonde found herself at the mercy of time and space, as she felt every fiber of her being torn to shreds.

* * *

Naruto's conscience drifted, and she struggled to maintain coherent thought.

The urge of slumber, the lull and beckoning of the welcoming darkness tugged at her consciousness… Was she even awake? She paid no particular heed to her surroundings, she felt a comfortable lethargy settle upon her mind.

But wait, wasn't she supposed to do something…?

Ah, yes… She was going back in time. She was going back in time, to… What? What for again? She wanted to simply stay adrift, bathed in this comfortable light…

Her eyes snapped open. She had to change the past, the future. Otherwise, everyone… All of her friends would die. They would all perish, and the burden would fall on her shoulders.

Friends…

Her friends…?

Naruto shook her head. No, her friends were gone. Her family was gone. The people she had created bonds with were gone, never to come back. No matter who she encounters in this trek through time, they would be entirely different people. She would never again see the people she had come to love and cherish with every fiber of her being, for their existences were wiped from all but her memories. The moment Naruto chose to travel back in time, she bid farewell to seeing her old friends.

But that did not mean that she wouldn't be able to make new bonds.

_Her_ friends lived through different pains, different scenarios, different losses.

She would ensure that, this time around, none of her most precious people would have to go through the pain that they experienced before.

Not while she had the power to change their fate.

* * *

When Naruto awoke, she took no time to gather her bearings. Immediately, she set her plan into action and created five shadow clones—four to silently go to the training fields to test their ability and one Chikage Bunshin to wander around and keep the ANBU busy.

When the Kage Bunshin left, Naruto inspected her Chikage Bunshin. It looked stable, and it could take a hit without being dispelled. She nodded her approval. The Chikage Bunshin technique was a Kage Bunshin, only it utilized a small portion of blood to make the clone more durable. It was something she had created in the years after the war, meaning, she had created it while being in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Quite frankly, she was unsure of whether or not the techniques that she had learned and developed in the "dream" held any credibility, and she loathed the idea of all that she had worked for was for naught. So imagine her immense jubilation to find that she _wasn't_ reduced to the pitiful repertoire of techniques that she had during the war.

"Chihenge no Jutsu!"

Chihenge, another technique she had developed in the future-past. Much like Chikage Bunshin, it utilized blood and could be said to be a more durable rendition of it's original jutsu. It was much more than an 'improved technique,' however. Unlike the Henge, it was not a Genjutsu that could dispel and be detected, in any way shape or form. It fully transforms the user to actually _become_ the target or pictured identity. If the user had felt a chakra signature and could fully picture it, they could even shape their chakra coils to be an exact replica of the original(Despite this, however, Naruto had realized that it was usually best to simply repress her own chakra so she wouldn't be reduced to the pitiful chakra supply of a non-Uzumaki/Jinchuuriki). Oddly enough(and this, Naruto believed, was the work of some otherworldly power to prevent her from 'cheating' those born with the traits), while she could physically become an exact copy of another person, she never figured out a way to copy their kekkei genkai or techniques. If she did not already know the techniques herself, she found it impossible to perform them, and even though she would transform into an exact copy, any form of kekkei genkai was impossible to perform. The Chihenge also allowed for henge-layering; she could place a normal henge over the Chihenge to make it seem as though her already false-identity was using a henge.

But back to the present.

Naruto, Chihenge'd as her future 20-year-old self—minus the whisker marks and the markings of Zetsu she had when she had first awakened—made her way over to the Hokage tower. She looked up at the sky, it's orange hues clashing with the dark blue and black gradient.

There were a few things she had to take care of before she went to sleep tonight, including speaking to her old friend, Kurama, and speaking to her grandfather figure that she hadn't seen in years.

She had to keep the timeline steady, until she managed to reach out to Tobi. To Obito. Changing his affiliation was the biggest hurdle, and if she managed to do so she could prevent the entire war from even beginning. If she was unsuccessful in talking sense into him, she would have to kill him, much like the rest of the Akatsuki… And Sasuke.

Naruto shivered. She didn't know what to do with her wayward, broody teammate. Ex-teammate. When she had failed the first time around, when she had been caught in the Eternal Tsukuyomi, the two had a…. Temporary truce. Nothing more could be said about that. Certainly, there was a happy ending to that; Sasuke had been reintegrated into Konoha's system and he gradually found acceptance amongst the citizens, once again. However, that was in her _dream_. It wasn't reality. And Naruto couldn't let whatever delusions of the mind get in her way, whatever bond she felt she had with the Uchiha. Too many lives were at stake, and she couldn't risk it all for a single person.

She wouldn't give up and kill him yet, however. She would try to convince Sasuke of otherwise. If he still didn't see things her way, though… Well, it's a task she'd rather not dwell on until she got to that point.

That brings her to her current objective. Why exactly was she chihenge'd as her 20-year-old self? Well, she had to convince Hiruzen that she was from the future. Depending on how the man reacted, she would make herself a sort of 'tutor' for the three Genin of Team Seven.

The main reason why Sasuke had defected from Konoha was due to his search for power to defeat Itachi. If Naruto could convince him that she was someone who held power, someone who could aid him in his pursuit, he would most likely stick around. That was what she hoped, anyway.

There were other loose ends she would have to deal with, but for now she knew her immediate tasks and her ultimate goal.

* * *

"Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen flinched, clearly not having expected the new presence in the room. Immediately, he went on the defensive. The ANBU stationed to guard him were by his side and his front, guarding him from the intruder.

The Sandaime looked at the blonde, who's face was concealed by her bangs. She was knelt down in a formal gesture of respect, and Hiruzen felt no malice from the girl. "… Who are you? What is your purpose?"

Naruto rose with the grace and power of a Hokage, and all movement in the room stopped. Hiruzen's eyes widened at the similarity the blonde held to two he considered his own children—the Fourth and his wife.

The blonde in question glanced over to a familiar chakra signature, and smiled. The man wore a tiger mask, and was guarding the Hokage's front. 'Yamato-taichou,' she thought fondly. She never knew what happened to him, and in her dream he had been dead. She breathed in and spoke in a low tone.

"Who I am is not something I can say," she gestured to the ANBU, "not until we are alone. I pose no threat to Konoha or her citizens, only to her traitors and enemies. In truth, much of my knowledge, purpose, and identity cannot be divulged until we are alone." 'Because I don't know who in ANBU I can trust implicitly, without fear of them being affiliated with Danzou,' she added silently.

Oh, yes, that was another goal she had. Kill Danzou. She didn't know when she would be able to, but she knew that the man was nothing but a threat to Konoha. He had good intentions, yes, but his actions were dangerous and had many consequences for the people Naruto held dear. The man would die, one way or another.

A lengthy silence passed between the two before Hiruzen nodded—not to Naruto's silent promise, mind you—and the ANBU stationed in the room reluctantly left. Naruto could feel them, however; they were stationed right outside of the window to make sure they could rush in at a moment's notice. Behind her back, Naruto physically shaped her chakra into a seal, and silently cast the Jutsu. She looked up and the Hokage was waiting for her to speak, he had not noticed the shift.

Naruto allowed her Hokage-visage to drop and forced herself to relax into a casual posture. Hiruzen noticed her change of demeanor immediately. "Mind if I take a seat?" she questioned.

The Sandaime nodded, and Naruto pulled up a chair from the side of the room and collapsed into it, lacking all grace and professionalism she had before. Hiruzen raised an eyebrow at her informal and trusting actions. Just who was this girl?

"So, who am I… You know what, how about we start with, 'what do I know?'" Naruto looked Hiruzen in the eyes, and he made no movement or gesture. She took this as the signal to continue.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen, Third Hokage of Konoha. Student of the Shodaime and Nidaime, teacher of the famed Sannin of Konoha. Took office for the second time after the unfortunate death of the Yondaime, Namikaze Minato."

Hiruzen donned a disgruntled look, and his eye twitched. "This is information most people know. You have spoken nothing of relevance, just what is your-"

Naruto cut him off. "Surrogate Grandfather of the Jinchuuriki of Kyuubi, Uzumaki Naruto. The _girl_ who is the _daughter_ of the Yondaime and the Uzumaki Princess, Uzumaki Kushina."

She watched his jaw droop for a split second before snapping shut, and inwardly giggled. "Uzumaki Naruto, as I said, the daughter of the Yondaime and his wife, the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. She is-"

"Just what are you planning? Why are you after Naruto?" Hiruzen's voice held strength and hostility, enough to make Naruto wince slightly. "You dare come into my office and threaten a citizen of Konoha? Someone under _my_ protection? Just who do you think you are?"

Naruto scoffed, and Hiruzen looked affronted by the reaction. "A citizen of Konoha, huh? Maybe you consider her a citizen of Konoha. Maybe you consider her a normal, human child. Maybe you even consider her a granddaughter that you never had. But, even though you are the Hokage, that is one opinion weighed against the opinion of hundreds of other people living in Konoha. People who think of her as nothing but a monster that should be dead."

An expression of guilt momentarily flitted past Hiruzen's face before he schooled his expression to one of reticence. "What is your aim? Do you wish harm upon Konoha and its citizens?"

"No, and I believe I already made that point," Naruto replied curtly. "My purpose here is to protect Konoha."

The Sandaime's gaze fell on her hitai-ate. "… You are not a Konoha-nin. Why do you bear that forehead protector?"

Naruto suppressed a flinch. For the man she viewed as her beloved Grandfather to say that she was not a Konoha-nin with such ease, such indifference… It hurt.

"… My answer to both of those statements goes along with another question, one that I will answer after everything else has been said and done."

Hiruzen twitched and his face grew severe. "… What have you done?"

His reply was a single eyebrow raised. "You've done something. I cannot sense anyone."

She had to give it to him, he was thrust into a situation that he had no control of and he was cornered, yet he still maintained his composure. But enough of the testing and banter.

"Yes, I used a seal to transport us to another plane of existence, another dimension. No one can see or hear us; we do not _exist_ in Konoha at the moment." She noticed him flinch and decided that she had enough of beating around the bush. She never was one for prevaricating, anyway.

"I am a time-traveler, one who hails from Konoha. The future is bleak, more so than you can even imagine, so I have come back in the hopes of rectifying the future."

There. She couldn't have been more forthright.

She watched as Hiruzen's eyes widened comically and continued before he could speak. "That is the reason for my knowledge on the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. If you wish confirmation, I consent to Yamanaka Inoichi looking into my mind. He can confirm my statements by watching my memories."

Hiruzen's mouth snapped shut; he had been prepared to ask her if she thought him a fool. The facts were not adding up. If she was a spy as he had first guessed, there would be no reason for her to offer herself to the T&amp;I department, especially when Konoha had a clan well-renowned for their mind techniques. He did not know the details, but he at the very least knew that the chances of even an S-Ranked shinobi bypassing all of the memory and mental checks administered by a Yamanaka were slim to none. That brought him back to the question that he hoped would amount to an answer explaining everything. "… Who are you?"

Naruto looked down to cover her eyes. She didn't quite trust her eyes to not show her pain at his suspicious gaze. "… Do I really need to answer that, Jijii? I think you may already have an idea of who I am."

Hiruzen stiffened.

"Oh," Naruto's head snapped up and her eyes widened in realization. "Before we have Inoichi-san look into my mind, there is something I need to do. Is that okay Jijii?"

The Sandaime looked at the girl before nodding his head slowly, and Naruto smiled. He felt his heart constrict at the smile, the smile which reminded him so much of Minato, Kushina… And his Naruto. 'Truly?' He thought to himself. 'Time travel, could that truly be the case?' He couldn't accept the idea that the one in front of him was Naruto. Not yet. He needed confirmation before he allowed his heart to open up to the stranger, for fear of betrayal.

Naruto sat down on the floor and began to meditate. "Thanks, Jijii. I won't be long."

She closed her eyes and focused her attention inward. She breathed in and out, steadying her breaths and pulse.

When she heard a growl, she opened her eyes and found herself in a familiar yet distant setting; the sewer-like surroundings, and the great bars in front of her. Bars that blocked her from one of her only friends.

She peered through the cage and could make out the rather large silhouette of her partner. She grinned.

"Kurama."

There was a small movement—most likely a twitch—and she knew that the beast was shifting. 'Sennin-ojisan told me that he gave me Kura's memories,' she thought to herself. 'How am I supposed to give him back his memories? I don't feel any different, are they stored somewhere in my mind? What the _hell _do I do? I don't think, 'here ya go, your memories are somewhere here! Good luck finding it!' will work.' She groaned at the realization that she didn't know what to do, because she never asked.

Within the shadows, a single slitted, crimson eye opened and bore down at Naruto. **"…. Brat," **he intoned, letting loose his killing intent.** "How do you know that name?"**

Naruto was unsurprised by the display, and felt not the least bit threatened. "Gee, I wonder." Here, Naruto acted sheepishly, and Kurama was clearly perturbed by her demeanor. "See, I actually need your help in regards to that."

"**What do you mean?"** The fox growled.

"Come now, Kura-chan," she was delighted by the undignified splutter the fox suffered by the nickname, "Don't act like that. We're best friends."

The fox stared at her with incredulity. **"Me, _friends_ with a _human_? Just _who_ do you think you are speaking to, _human brat_?"**

"Apparently, I get that question a lot," she remarked plainly. "But whatever's the case. Do you feel anything? Anything like… Stored memories? Maybe try and think, and… Poof?"

Kurama was silent and he gave Naruto a look that said, **"You're crazy."** Okay, apparently he said that out loud. Despite his appearance, the great fox seemed somewhat amused. Behind the clear ire and frustration, at least.

"Maybe this will help." Naruto reached for the sage chakra she felt resting within her coils, and felt the incomplete Six Paths Sage Mode cloak shroud her spiritual form. Kurama's eyes widened, and she continued to speak. "I am from the future, Kurama."

"… **Rikudou..?"** Kurama spoke, barely audible. He recognized the chakra she was exuding, it was the chakra of the Rikudou Sennin.

Naruto shook her head. "No. I am not the Rikudou Sennin, but I was chosen to be his 'successor.' He imparted to me his chakra and abilities before I traveled back." She crossed her arms and pouted slightly. "He _also_ gave me your memories, but I have no idea how to give you something intangible. I don't exactly see some floating boxes with memories in 'em anywhere."

The fox eyed his container with an assessing look. **"… Why would my memories make any difference?"**

At this, Naruto gave a pained smile—one that held sorrow, happiness, and reflection. "Because we were comrades… Friends. We were friends, Kurama, despite how you feel right now. I freed you from your hatred, and we worked together to take down our enemy." She dismissively waved away the emotion that was evident in her eyes. "… But enough of that. Help me figure out how to get your memories back."

"… **I will take care of that."** Naruto gave a dubious look and Kurama explained. **"It is my own memory. The reason why you are unable to find them is because they are not your own. If the old man wanted me to have my memories, all you need to do is keep your mind open. I will find them myself."**

Naruto didn't question what he meant by 'keep her mind open' but shrugged and sat down, realizing that the process might take a while.

After a few minutes, Naruto's incomplete Six Paths Sage Mode shroud dissipated. She huffed in anger. "Geez, it lasts an even smaller amount of time than Sage Mode! How am I gonna use it in battles if I'm only able to control it for this long!?"

Kurama snorted. **"Well, your chakra control always was piss poor."**

Naruto's head snapped up to look at the fox. "Kurama…" Her eyes flickered with emotion before she smirked. "Are you back, damned fox?"

"**Hmph. As much as I can be. Even if I have the memories of the Kurama you knew before, I'm not exactly the same. You failed."**

Naruto's smile faltered and her expression drew into a grimace. "… I know," she whispered, before attempting to recover a light-hearted mood. "I woke up two years after the Tsukuyomi was originally placed, and for seven years I worked on techniques and my abilities… Including chakra control." She huffed in indignation. "My chakra control probably would've been the best out of everyone's! It's just because I'm back to being stuck in this body that it sucks… It'll be back up to speed in a year or so, you stupid fox."

"**Seven years?"** Kurama's voice lost the small amount of humor it had, and Naruto sighed.

"Yeah. Seven years. By the time I woke up, everyone…" She recalled looking for her friends, opening each of the husks. Being greeted by an empty shell, an unrecognizable corpse, or by a Zetsu. "… Everyone was gone. You were fully absorbed by the Ten-Tails, and everyone was dead. I had been given seven years by Sennin-ojisan, I wanted time to train and gather more techniques before I came back here, to the past."

"… **I see."**

A pregnant silence pervaded between the two of them before Naruto decided that she ought to leave.

"Now then," Naruto stretched and put her hands on her hips. "I'm going back to talk to Jijii. I'm gonna have Inoichi-san look into my mind, and I need your help blocking him from the last of my memories—the tsukuyomi and everything that occurred while I was in the dream." She gave a resigned sigh. "That… Didn't actually happen. It was just a delusion of my mind, no matter how real it may have felt. There is no need for him to see that."

Kurama gave a small nod and Naruto smiled.

"Thanks, Kura-chan. I'm happy I have you back." She wasn't lying in the slightest. It was a good feeling to have someone to rely on and speak to on this delicate matter, even if it was a prideful, spiteful, cantankerous old fox.

Said fox snorted and Naruto gave a small wave before snapping her attention back to the physical world.

"Hi again, miss me?" The Hokage gave a look of incredulity before looking at the clock. Naruto followed his example. 'Oh yeah,' she thought silently. 'Time flows differently.'

She jumped up and walked over to the seal which had embedded itself in the floor. She knelt down, bit her thumb, and began tracing the seal to make it permanent.

"This is where I placed the seal," Naruto explained. "I can move the seal to a location closer to you, but for now I'll leave it here. Should you ever need to discuss highly classified information, please use this seal as you see fit. You need only channel a minute amount of chakra into it and the seal will activate. At the moment, only you and I can use it, and should someone else try to use it…" She shrugged. "… Well, just make sure no _allies_ attempt to do so."

Naruto glanced at the Hokage and noticed that his expression was grim. 'May as well get this over with,' she thought silently. She released the jutsu and was immediately met with a punch to the gut, followed by a kunai placed threateningly at her throat. She was shoved to the ground and her assailants stood over her, one on top of her holding her arms behind her back to restrain her. She simply sighed.

Hiruzen stood up and began walking towards the door. "Cat, Tiger, Hawk, escort her to the T&amp;I department. I will be coming with you."

The three ANBU nodded and lifted Naruto to her feet, Hawk tightened his grip in a fashion to convey, 'you have no escape.' Naruto simply rolled her eyes.

When the five arrived at the department, Naruto was immediately placed in the Amplification Machine, and they awaited Inoichi's appearance. She looked around, unaffected by the meant-to-be-intimidating stares she was being given. She had been to the T&amp;I department before, and though it had her somewhat shaken the first time around… Well, it becomes somewhat ineffective after day after day of visitations.

Inoichi and Ibiki walked into the room, each greeting the Hokage.

"So," Ibiki spoke in his normal condescending manner. "This is the one that is in for some hell, is she?"

Naruto scoffed at his attempt at frightening her. "Nice to see you again too, Ibiki-san." She turned to Inoichi and smiled. "You as well, Inoichi-san."

The two exchanged glances and the Hokage coughed. "Cat, Tiger, Hawk. Please leave the room for now, I shall meet you back at my office after we have completed the interrogation." He turned to Inoichi. "Please, have your subordinates leave the room and seal it so that no one can listen to what will be spoken. Ibiki can stay."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. She had not intended on anyone except Inoichi and the Hokage finding out, but all is well, she supposed. Inoichi sent his men out and walked up to Naruto.

"So, who are you?"

"All in due time, Inoichi-san," she stated plainly.

"Answer the question," Ibiki ground out, "or would you like to have a brief visit to the Torture sector? I would be happy to oblige."

"And I would be happy to simply leave with my information and take care of everything from the shadows. I don't _need_ your consent to protect Konoha," she growled with an equally powerful tone.

Ibiki scoffed. "You think that you can leave? I'd like to see you try."

Naruto smirked. "After Inoichi-san has finished, I will show you just how easy it is for me. But first," she turned to the blonde-haired man. "Please start the jutsu, Inoichi-san. The sooner, the better. I will do my best to keep my… tenant behaved."

Hiruzen stiffened minutely at the implication. Inoichi gave a hesitant nod before placing his hand on Naruto's head and delving into her mind.

* * *

When Inoichi opened his eyes, he was met by complete darkness. He could see nothing, and for a moment he panicked before schooling his emotions. He opened his senses and realized that there was an ankle-high amount of water where he was standing. 'Odd,' he thought to himself.

Suddenly, light exploded all around him and he winced at the sudden brightness. His eyes adjusted and he looked around, noticing that he stood in a hallway. The white walls were lined with light sources, not flame, but… energy? Inoichi began to walk, deciding that he ought to start with the procedure.

'_Monster! Stay away!'_

_She looked down at her shaking hands, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes._

'_You should just die! Go away you evil demon!'_

Inoichi blinked. He had just experienced one of the mystery-girl's memories, presumably from early childhood. He continued to walk through the hallway.

'_I'm gonna be Hokage some day!'_

_She looked at the monument with happiness, and a renewed ambition. She charged through the streets, vigor and an appreciation for life in each step. She found herself atop the Hokage tower and she held her headband in her hands. Her hands gripped the material before she tied the headband to her forehead._

'… _I will. I will be Hokage, and then… Everyone will accept me.'_

Inoichi smiled at the youthful display. But he still didn't have his answer, just who was this girl? He had been told that an intruder needed to be interrogated, but this girl seemed to be a citizen of Konoha, and had been one since early childhood. There was no mistaking the Hokage Monument. It was a simple practice to implant fake memories into the minds of spies, in case they were captured and subjected to a technique such as this. But there was no sign that the memories thus far were implanted, let alone fake.

Why was she labeled as an intruder?

_Sakura hit her over the head and scolded her. 'Naruto-baka! You're so noisy, you're going to scare the animals away!'_

'_But Sakura!' she whined, 'I want another C-rank! Don't you? I'm tired of D-ranks!'_

'_Maa maa, Naruto,' A voice called out and Naruto turned to the source. 'After the Chuunin Exams, perhaps.'_

_Naruto groaned. 'But-!'_

'_Dobe, just shut up and work,' a boy called out._

_Naruto grumbled and focused on looking for the wayward pigs._

Inoichi recognized the man with his headband over his left eye. That was Hatake Kakashi, one of the Jounin of Konoha. What was he doing in the girl's memories? And why did the name Naruto sound so familiar?

_Images faded in an out._

_The body of the Sandaime lay on the ground, with Orochimaru standing over him._

"_Damn….old man…"_

_He spat on the Hokage's face and stomped on his arm, crushing the bone. He turned and left as footsteps approached._

Inoichi was not given time to assess what he had just seen.

_Blood._

_Blood all around._

_She was lying down, in a pool of her own blood. The cold rain fell to the ground, all around her, and stung her wounds. It poured into the gaping hole she had in her chest, just to the side of her heart._

_But that wasn't what made her heart ache._

_She turned her head towards the receding chakra signature, owned by the one she considered her best friend._

"…_Ah… Sa…su…ke…."_

_She did her best to reach out to his retreating form, but her arms wouldn't move. She couldn't call out. And she felt her eyelids drooping, wishing to welcome darkness. She fought the urge, up until the moment his visage disappeared from sight._

_And then she welcomed darkness whole-heartedly._

"What was that about?" Inoichi murmured. He recognized the boy; Uchiha Sasuke, the survivor of the Massacre. What was he doing in her memories? How had he known the outsider, the girl? As far as Inoichi knew, the boy had never even left Konoha!

He took careful steps forward to continue the mind-walk. The marred walls did not escape from his seeking eyes.

"_Naruto!"_

_She turned around to greet the man. "What, Erosennin?"_

_The white-haired author did not react to the name. "Hurry, hurry! The bathhouses are waiting, and I need to do my research…" He leered as he said that last bit and Naruto gagged._

"_Yeah, 'research' my orange-ass! You just want to oogle some pretty women and their private bits!"_

"_Oh, Naruto," Jiraiya sighed in a patronizing way, earning a glare from the girl. "If only you knew, the wonders of the opposite sex…"_

_The girl thought to herself for a moment, before making the biggest shit-eating grin._

"_You know, Erosennin, the truth is…."_

Inoichi laughed. This girl had managed to get on such friendly terms with one of the great Sannin! Surely, if the Sannin could trust her, then the village was safe from harm…

'… Wait,' Inoichi thought to himself. He almost punched himself in the face, but his composure kept him from doing so. '… The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Uzumaki Naruto. This girl is Uzumaki Naruto…?'

He pondered the thought.

The implications were there, but he wasn't certain. There already existed an Uzumaki Naruto in the village, that he was certain. Not to mention, even if there was another Uzumaki Naruto that existed, he would've known about it! Someone that bears the same eyes, hair, whisker marks… It would've caused at least _some_ people to notice it, and the information would've circulated in the rumor mill until it reached his ears.

Also, wasn't Uzumaki Naruto a…?

He shook his head. Instead of questioning now, he could simply find the answers. He continued forward.

"_WHAT!?"_

_Everyone called out unanimously, except a select few that had already known. They simply shrugged at the exclamation._

"_Yeah," Naruto stated sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "I am actually a girl."_

_The stares were completely nerve-wracking. She didn't particularly like the fact that everyone was assessing her body with their eyes to confirm that she was, indeed, female._

"… _I can't believe it," Sakura whispered, her eyes clearly on Naruto's two… assets. She screeched. "It's not fair! How the hell are your—"_

"_Now now, Billboard," Ino forced her hand over Sakura's mouth and gave a very fake laugh. "Ahem, well, I have a question, why didn't you tell us sooner, Naruto?"_

_Sakura calmed down and nodded, along with many others. Naruto rubbed her arm._

"_Well… I didn't know who I could trust..? No, that's not it," she shook her head. "I was worried, for multiple reasons. As a girl, I was weaker in the eyes of most, more susceptible to… things. I had decided to live as a boy because of certain events, and eventually, I started making friends with this visage. Even when I got strong enough to defend myself, I found that I was scared."_

_She glanced at her friends and gulped. "… I was scared of rejection. Scared of being rejected by you guys, my friends."_

_Suddenly, multiple hands enveloped her and she found herself in a rather awkward group hug. Surprisingly, Hinata was the first to speak._

"_I-it's okay… We're a-all your f-friends here, Naruto…. chan."_

_Naruto grinned at the endearing honorific that the Hyuuga heiress had given her. Everyone else began speaking—which escalated into yelling—their own words of comfort and friendship, and Naruto had to repress her laughter when Chouji said something rather interesting: "Even if you are a girl, you can still come over for eating contests! I don't care about your gender, race, orientation, whatever, you are my rival…" he smacked his stomach. "… In eating!"_

_All in all, she was happy._

_Her friends knew all of her secrets, and yet, they still accepted her. To say that she felt renewed would be an understatement; for the first time in her life, she felt fully integrated into a group… Fully accepted by friends._

_She smiled as they slowly made their way to the barbeque restaurant. She could see it now, years in the future, all of them married, with kids, and then reaching the years of grey. They would still come here to enjoy each other's company._

_The very thought warmed her heart like no other thought, and she looked forward to staying with her friends to the very end._

Inoichi blinked. His daughter was there, that was a fact. That was definitely Ino.

But she looked… Older. Much more refined, like a young woman. Even her friendship with the Haruno girl was very similar to his own Ino… He also recognized the sons of his best friends from the Ino-Shika-Cho team, Shikamaru and Chouji. There was no mistaking the Akimichi's voracious appetite, and he noticed that trademark Nara-look in Shikamaru's eyes. But why was everyone older?

And Naruto, a girl? He shook his head. He had an idea about the whys and hows of what he had seen thus far, but he decided to put the theorizing aside until he had seen everything else. It was a rather heartwarming scene, in actuality. If the girl truly was Uzumaki Naruto… '… Then I'm glad.'

She had finally found acceptance, somewhere. And he found himself rather proud that his daughter was part of the group that had entered the girl's heart.

_Her fists clenched, and she felt unbidden tears stream down her face._

"_Why …was Gaara… Always Gaara…"_

_No one looked at her. But they were listening. Naruto knew that they were, by their own emotional turmoil, evident in their chakra… But she didn't give a damn._

"_To die like this… He just became Kazekage…"_

"_Uzumaki Naruto, relax-" the old woman was cut off._

"_SHUT UP!"_

_She turned on the woman, not caring for how she looked, how she was acting. She needed to speak, shout, for the world to hear…. So they would know of Gaara's pain._

"_If you shinobi of the SAND hadn't put a MONSTER in him, then nothing like this would've even happened! Did any of you even TRY to ask Gaara how he felt about the whole thing!?"_

_Naruto felt blood seep from her hands; she had tightened her fist to the point of breaking skin. She ignored the pain._

"… _Just what the hell is this 'Jinchuuriki' anyway," she seethed, "you just ARROGANTLY made up that word to CALL THEM!"_

_Silence fell and Naruto's chest was heaving. It wasn't from exertion, not from the chakra exhaustion she felt, not from the yelling she had just gone through. She lowered her face to her hands and desperately tried to wipe away the tears that were blurring her vision._

"_Naruto…" Sakura called out. Her voice was tired and resigned._

"_I couldn't… I couldn't save Sasuke… And I couldn't save Gaara…." she choked out each word, trying desperately to keep her voice steady and even. "… For three years… THREE YEARS! I trained desperately… But… But nothing's changed since three years ago, has it…"_

_Naruto fell to the ground next to her friend… her connection… her partner against the pain…. her brother. She slammed her fists into the earth and let out an agonized wail._

'_I…. Gaara, I…'_

Inoichi remained silent. He had felt the raw emotions that she had felt in that instance…. He didn't like it. At all.

He hurriedly continued down the path, noticing that the walls had flecks of blood staining it's exterior.

_The smoke cleared, and she felt her heart ready to burst._

_No, that didn't explain it well enough._

_She felt as though someone had somehow stabbed her heart with a million knives, and she still lived to experience the pain._

_Nothing._

_No one._

_Everyone._

_She felt nothing, no chakra signature at all, not even the small, almost undetectable chakra of a bird._

_She felt no one, she could see no one. She was in Konoha. And yet, she wasn't._

_Everyone was gone. Everything was gone. She stood in a crater that was once her beloved Konoha, but it was now just a dirt crater marring the surface of the earth._

_She glared at the man responsible and felt immense RAGE build up. She wanted to see him dead._

_No, wait. She wanted to see him SUFFER. She wanted him to suffer suffer SUFFER SUFFER, to KNOW THIS PAIN, and then she would kill him. Kill him, kill him kill him kill him—NO!_

_She fought her internal battle. All the people she lost, all the bonds she had worked for… They were gone. And THIS MAN was responsible._

_But she couldn't. She shouldn't. She WOULDN'T become like HIM. To do as her heart desired that very moment, to KILL this man out of vengeance… Even if she won, she would've lost._

_She took a step towards the bastard, a promise of pain written in her eyes._

_Tears began to stream down her eyes, but she ignored them._

_At that very moment, the MURDERER was the only existence in her world._

Inoichi gaped.

And then, the shudders set in. He collapsed into the shallow water onto his knees, trembling like a small child.

Konoha was destroyed. Everyone was dead. They were killed…

'My friends, my family, my daughter, my _wife_,' Inoichi clutched his head and felt a strong hatred welling up within in. He seethed. '_That man_…'

Almost immediately he snapped back to focus. One hand still held his head and he stood up, albeit shakily.

He couldn't. He couldn't let the subject's mind overwhelm him so. 'It has been a long, long time since I have been affected by the mind and emotions of the subject,' he though solemnly. 'And to_ this_ degree…'

He felt no shame in admitting the fact. In actuality, he felt great sorrow, empathy for the girl. How had she gotten through that ordeal? How did she still live?

But the biggest question he had now: Was his theory correct?

Everything, especially this last memory, pointed towards his new theory. But he still didn't have enough information, enough evidence, not for this kind of far-fetched idea. He glanced to the walls; they were practically half-painted with blood and there were cracks everywhere. He slowly trudged on reluctantly, fearful of what else was to come.

_The memory played over and over in her head like a broken record._

'_Jiraiya-chan is dead.'_

… _Why?_

_She remembered when she first met him. She had thought him nothing but a perverse old man, he thought her a stupid, shit-faced brat. He trained her and taught her, he helped her. Taijutsu spars, summoning, combined jutsu, THAT jutsu…_

_He shared unforgettable moments with her._

_He would always pat her on the back and congratulate her when she finally mastered a technique. After training each day, if they were near a town, he would get her this frozen ice cream on a stick—he would take one half, she would take the other. He would spy on the women's side of the bath whenever they went to the onsen, and when the time came that he found out her true gender, she would fool-proof the walls to ensure that he wouldn't be able to spy on the innocents._

_She held the ice cream in her hand. She had gone out to buy it after staying at home and finding that sleep evaded her. She simply sat on the bench, staring off into space. The ice cream slowly melted, but she didn't mind it._

_Tears rolled down her face, and she couldn't bring herself to do more than let the tears flow. She couldn't cry out, scream, yell, beat someone down._

_She simply sat there, a product of crushing realization._

'_He's dead.'_

Inoichi did not pay heed to the tears forming in his eyes. He had never met the Sannin, only heard a few tales of the man here and there.

And yet, here he was, _crying_.

Naruto had felt such extreme sadness at the loss, and it was affecting him this much.

But who could blame the girl? She had been alone from the very beginning. She had struggled making bonds because of her tenant. When she had finally made friends, she lost them. When she finally had someone who she considered _family_, he left her, just like everyone else in her life.

What Inoichi felt the strongest wasn't anger, hatred, or even sorrow.

It was loneliness.

He had a wife, a daughter, and his friends waiting for him when he got back from work.

If his theory was correct, this girl had no one. Heck, even her younger form had no one to come home to. No one to say, "welcome back." No one to comfort her after a hard day. No one to direct her and teach her love and friendship.

He stumbled onwards, determined to get through this and finish in a dignified manner. He couldn't let the subject's mind control him to this extent. He looked at the walls again—he had realized a long time ago that they were a sign of what was to come.

The walls were no longer the pristine white they once were. Almost none of the pure colour could be seen, it was all red with the murky blood.

_A man with one eye stood at the gates of Konoha. His right eye, wrapped in bandages, his other, onyx eye glistening with proud superiority. He wore a derisive smirk, even with his pathetic appearance. Atop his head was the hat of a prominent figure—the Hokage's hat—possibly the reason for his disgusting pride._

_She growled from the shadows as she watched him bid shinobi farewell, giving each one a task while he was away. 'He was not supposed to have that position. He was not supposed to be the one to wear that hat. The sly bastard stole it from Baa-chan while she was weak, he does not embody the will of fire at all. He should not have that hat.'_

_Her fists clenched and she grit her teeth. 'Danzou.'_

Inoichi snapped out of the memory, tear marks still evident. "Wha-"

_The vision was blurred, and figures were barely visible. A man with a peculiar orange mask with a single eyelet stood, carrying a raven-haired man on his shoulder._

"… _my nam… Uchiha Mada…. Tsu..no me…"_

_Around the room were other figures, disfigured and blurred. ".. Become one…. ternal Genjuts…Juu…Hand over… uubi and Hachi…"_

_Another voice cut in, clearer than the other. "We will not abandon hope."_

"… _Declare… Fourth Shinobi World War…"_

Inoichi was ripped out of the memory and fell to the floor. "… What… What was…?" He thought of what he had just seen in the last two memories. Danzou as Hokage was not something he wanted to entertain in his thoughts, at all. The first memory, and almost all the others before were clear and concise, and he could feel the emotions of the subject…. But the last one… It felt odd. The images were blurred, sentences were unfinished, and he could barely pick out words being formed, much like the one with Orochimaru and the Hokage. That usually only occurred with implanted memories, but fake memories typically had more obvious errors, such as sudden cracks or blanks, both signs of instability. No, there was something more to that last memory.

The man looked around and gasped.

The walls were no longer walls, but chunks of concrete, and Inoichi could see the vast darkness that reached limitlessly. The water that was at his feet just minutes ago was now blood red, and clung to his feet as he moved. It didn't feel like water stained with blood… It felt like blood.

He repressed the jolt of fear that surged through his body and pressed on, making his way through the maze within the girl's mind. Eventually, he found his way to a large cage. He squinted, hoping to see through the darkness and find an end… He didn't. Nothing but the bleak darkness stretching as far as he could see. He stepped into the cage.

"Stop…"

Inoichi whipped around and saw the blonde girl standing behind him. (A/N: THIS IS FOR THE READERS TO VISUALIZE, Inoichi ain't creeping on her. The only thing he notes is her hair.) Her outfit was of a rather sombre style, consisting of black, form-fitting pants, the bottoms stuffed into her above-the-ankle, black shinobi sandals. She wore a dark gray flak jacket, not of any particular village's style. A short, black, finger-less glove fit her left hand, accompanied by a mesh elbow guard on the same arm. Her right arm sported an upper-arm length finger-less black glove, contrasting with the other arm. Her blonde hair, tied up in a single high ponytail, her golden locks streaming down in uneven sprays of colour.

Inoichi absently noted that her hair in particular made him think of the sun, much like the Yondaime.

"Do not go any further, Inoichi-san. There is nothing else to see." Her hand rested on the hilt of her tanto that rested horizontally in the small of her back.

Inoichi straightened, seemingly recovered from the emotional whirlwind he was in earlier. "I will not. You are hiding something, and I plan on finding out what."

Naruto flinched as he turned around and reached out. "Wait—!"

Immediately, Inoichi was met with the cold, hard gaze of two, large red eyes. Massive killing intent washed over him, and he watched as the eyes moved upwards.

A deafening roar resounded throughout the cell and fire surrounded Inoichi. He looked up at the shadows, and realized that they were no longer shadows—What stood before him was the tailed beast, the most powerful of it's kind, the Kyuubi.

Kurama let out one more death knell and Inoichi collapsed on the ground, shivering more than he ever had before.

"Kurama, enough!"

Suddenly Inoichi found himself in a much different setting. His head whipped around, taking in the new environment.

Light was everywhere. There were no visible walls, ceilings, floors, no confines. He was standing on… light.

"Inoichi-san, I warned you that you shouldn't go further."

Inoichi snapped around to the source of the voice and saw the woman in question.

She gave a chuckled full of mirth, and Inoichi felt his heart soften imperceptibly. This girl, who had experienced being a pariah all of her life, felt the death of her friends, felt the immense sorrow following her mentor's death… She could still laugh and smile as though she had not a care in the world.

Inoichi couldn't help it. He was an interrogator, and a shinobi with years of experience. But he was still human, and he could not help but feel a strange sort of sympathy and respect for the girl in front of him.

"I'm sure you have some questions, do you not?" Naruto smiled at him.

He flinched, and struggled to regain his bearings. "Uh," he replied intelligently. "W-well…"

He shook his head in an effort to sober his thoughts. He looked at Naruto, ready to ask her his questions and get some answers.

"… How is any of this possible? Uzumaki Naruto is but a child. And what is the kyuubi doing here? Just what is your aim, and who does it involve?"

Naruto shook her head. "I think you've already guessed my situation and who I am, Inoichi-san."

"But I want to hear you confirm it," he intoned.

"… Yes, I am indeed from the future. Yes, I am Uzumaki Naruto, from about… Say, has Kakashi taken a team? Actually, how old is Naruto right now?"

Inoichi blinked. "… He—_she_, is eleven years old, I think."

"Nine years, then. I am from nine years hence. Also, I don't think I need to tell you, but my—and her—true gender is an S-class secret, so telling anyone would be… dangerous. Moving on," she bit her thumb, trying to remember the other questions. "… Kurama is fine. He won't hurt you, he's my friend."

Inoichi blinked, again. "… Kurama?"

"Oh," Naruto laughed. "Kurama is the name of the Kyuubi."

"Wha—the name of the _Kyuubi_!? And you _befriended_ it!?"

Naruto's face grew grim. "He."

"What?"

"_He_," she reiterated. "Kurama is a _he_. Not an it. And yes, I did."

She watched his expressions and when she realized he was not accepting the information, she sighed. "Contrary to popular belief, chakra beasts are not little balls—er, well, I guess I should say _big _balls," Inoichi could swear he heard the fox snicker. Snicker. Like a six year old watching his prank succeed. "… of hatred. They are as their label implies, chakra. The tailed beasts came into existence many years ago, and were as impressionable as babes. However, tailed beasts like Kurama and Shukaku, the Ichibi, grew tired of mistreatment and misuse by humans after many years. Like humans, each tailed beast has his or her own personality and emotions."

Naruto tapped her chin. "Now, tell me, would you not be at least somewhat bitter if, for millennia, you were constantly hunted down and used as a weapon by selfish humans that strove for power? For their own gain? Because that is exactly what the tailed beasts have suffered through, and what they have felt."

Inoichi's eyes flickered with realization. "…. I see."

"Anyway!" Naruto clapped her hands once to get his attention. She smiled at the man. "Any other questions? Or will that be all? Have I sufficiently proven my identity?"

Inoichi immediately donned his 'interrogator look' and Naruto stifled a giggle. "… Almost, but not quite. Why did you travel back in time? And how?"

Naruto's smile fell immediately and she spoke with vindictive strength. "… I'm afraid I don't wish to _bore_ you with the details, Inoichi-san," Inoichi flinched at her unrestrained hostility. "But in essence? I failed. I failed everyone, and as a result, everyone _died_. So I came back to the past to fix my mistakes."

Inoichi hesitantly placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, and she looked up at him, confusion evident in her sapphire eyes.

"I understand, Naruto. I… I really do. I believe you."

Naruto's expression melted into an amalgamation of many—sorrow, happiness, anger, relief—all spun in a flurry within her eyes and she was clearly having a difficult time keeping her emotions in check.

But she succeeded anyway.

"Let's go now, shall we Inoichi-san?"

The man nodded once, and he worked to leave the complex of her mind.

_Dead._

_Shriveled up; dead._

_Gone, probably dead._

_Zetsu. Dead._

_Missing the torso. Dead._

_Absorbed. Dead._

_In tact, and still warm… But dead. She was moments too late._

_She walked through the vast expanse, looking through each husk. Hoping with all her might that someone, ANYONE was still alive._

_Hope that died a little each time she opened a husk and realized that it's original host was dead._

_The hope died each time, and it took some of her heart with it. Slowly, the happiness in her memories dissipated and was replaced with nothing but grief. Every. Single. Time. The feeling of realizing someone was dead, each time she opened up a husk, was like the feeling of someone ripping out her heart and slamming back into her chest. It healed over time. But then, the process simply repeated each time she urged herself to move on to the next one._

_By now, her entire being was bruised, beaten, and better off dead._

'_What's the point?' She would ask herself everyday._

_She had realized, long ago, that THEY would never come back. Even if she went into the past, they would be different people. They would LOOK like the people she loved. The IMPOSTERS would be there to remind her of her failures. Tell her that they were not the same people she loved. Yet KILL her every time she looked at them, their appearances so painfully similar to what Naruto remembered._

_Naruto wiped her tears and walked out of the village. There was no point in staying. She had tasks to complete, and she was moving on._

_She was moving on, but her heart was not. She would never be able to see these people again, and she was intending on leaving them._

_The least she could do is leave her heart, with them…_

"Inoichi?"

Inoichi's eyes snapped open and he looked into the eyes of his Hokage—and what a welcome sight it was to see the man alive and well. Ibiki was over on his left, looking with equal concern.

"Inoichi, what happened? What did the witch do-"

"Don't call her that!" Inoichi snapped at Ibiki, but immediately regretted his outburst. It was uncalled for; Ibiki was simply being Ibiki. He was _worried_ for Inoichi, because—He just noticed the stream of tears running down his face. He lifted his hand up to his cheek and watched in awe when it came away with moisture. "… Wha…"

"You were crying, Inoichi," Ibiki intoned, worry still evident in his tone. "Multiple times, you cried. At one point, you started clutching your chest as though you were in pain. We were about to forcefully pull you out of the technique, but you had eased almost immediately."

Inoichi looked at the still unconscious Naruto, and removed his hand from her head. He spoke quietly. "… Her claims are true. She is to be trusted… She can definitely be trusted." He gave a bitter smile to the Hokage. "More so than some of your advisors, definitely."

Ibiki sent his partner a questioning look but Hiruzen simply nodded. "I see. Please write a report on what you found and hand it in to me when you can. Without anyone knowing." He took a puff of his pipe. "And please, get some rest. You had the both of us rather worried, what, with your sudden… fits."

Inoichi scratched his head. "Er, yes… I will prepare the documents. By your leave…"

"You may go, now, Inoichi."

The man bowed and stumbled out of the room, still somewhat dazed.

"I hope he will be alright," Ibiki mumbled. "Just what did he see…?"

"Oh, just a certain fox and some memories that would usually leave someone with PTSD."

Ibiki and Hiruzen whipped around to see the captive blonde.

She shook her head. "Whatever you intend on divulging to Ibiki-san is fine with me, Jijii. Just make sure that, whenever you do, you use that seal I told you about. Anyways… I'll be waiting in your office."

With a wink, she disappeared, leaving no traces at all. Ibiki gaped like a fish out of the water and Hiruzen could not help but smile slightly.

The girl had grown on him somewhat, despite the manner in which they met and… Circumstances. It made sense, however, seeing as it was apparently confirmed that she was, indeed, Naruto.

He took a puff from his pipe as he nonchalantly walked out of the room.

All-in-all, despite how tired he felt…

He was oddly happy.

* * *

**A/N: I don't know what the English word for the term, but one of the pronunciations for blood is "chi." Chi(**血**)=blood, hence, "Chikage Bunshin" and "Chihenge," since they use blood to create. Improper usage, hopefully you'll get the subtle naming joke.**

**Also in the memories that Inoichi went through there were some that Naruto was not actually present for. That's part of what I mentioned last chapter. The memories that Hagoromo imparted to her in order to aid her in her pursuit. Hopefully I made that clear enough.**


	3. Meeting Familiar Faces

**Rating: T**

**A/N: ****It has come to my attention that, with all of the ages and time twisting, things are rather confusing. So here is a brief rundown.**

**Naruto was 16/17 when she was first placed in the Genjutsu. Around two years later she awoke(age 18) thanks to the Rikudou Sennin's interference. She left on a training trip, and seven years later she returned(And _then_ went back into the past. Basically: war, genjutsu, training trip, time travel). In the Genjutsu, she beat Madara and sealed Kaguya away with Sasuke, leading to peace. She became Hokage at 24, died at 29. That was when she woke up from the Genjutsu and went on the 7 year trip.**

**So, I hope that clarifies a few things. She has 36 years of knowledge and life experience, 7 years of which were spent in solitude, allowing her to simply think to herself.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Meeting Familiar Faces**

"You took so long!"

Naruto appeared in the room just as Hiruzen entered, and suddenly, five ANBU were upon her.

She had been waiting in the room as she promised. But, using her _amazing_ stealth techniques that she had acquired from seven years of evading Kaguya, she managed to sneak in and remain undetected for fourteen minutes.

She was a little rusty, she had to admit. Her body was not trained as well as it should've been, mostly due to the fact that she was once again stuck in the body of an eleven-year-old.

Back to the present, though.

'Apparently, I had been hiding my presence a little _too_ well,' she thought bitterly as she felt the all-too familiar feeling of a kunai against her neck.

Hiruzen lifted a single hand. "At ease. Her claims have been confirmed, and she is no threat to Konoha or any of her citizens."

'Except one,' Naruto thought silently, picturing Danzou's head on the stick that was shoved up his ass at birth. Though, maybe that stick was already all the way up to his head. She wouldn't be surprised.

The ANBU moved away, somewhat reluctantly. When they left the room, Naruto reactivated the dimension seal and the two sat down in their respective seats.

"So," Hiruzen began. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

Naruto blinked. "Pardon?"

"Surely you have a plan, a course of action to prevent the bleak future from happening."

She gaped for a few disbelieving seconds before coherent syllables formed. "Er.. I mean, yes! Yes I do, it's just.. I didn't think you would be so willing to cooperate."

Hiruzen's expression drew into a frown. "I wouldn't exactly say we treated you in a… Hospitable manner. The way you were treated is not the way I would have liked to picture my reunion with my granddaughter."

Naruto felt warmth swell in her chest before laughing. She relaxed into her chair, any tenseness she held now gone. "I wouldn't worry about it, Jijii. You did what you had to, to ensure Konoha's safety. Honestly, had you been any more lenient, I would've been worried. Very worried.

… But pleasantries aside—we can catch up and bond later…" She held her hands in the Ram seal and dispelled her henge, revealing her 11-year old self.

"…I am myself, Jijii. When I came back in time. I did not end up as a separate entity at my true age—I came back as eleven-year-old Uzumaki Naruto.

Hiruzen's jaw drooped slightly and he quickly caught his pipe before it hit his lap. "… Why did you pretend to be your… Older self, then? If you were planning on revealing it to me to begin with, why go through the trouble?"

"Because," Naruto crossed her arms. "The things I want to change… My plan would draw too much unwanted attention to me alone if they knew that 'Uzumaki Naruto' had done it. I want to keep the timeline as similar as possible so I do not lose that edge. At least, for a little while."

She stood up and began pacing in the room. "Furthermore, it would allow me to do things that Uzumaki Naruto could not—at least, in the eyes of many. It would be too suspicious if you sent a Genin… er, not-yet-Genin Naruto, who is the dead-last of her class, on an S-rank mission, no?"

Hiruzen nodded in understanding. "I see. What is it that you wish me to do?"

"I need you to give 'Namikaze Fuuko' Jounin rank, with a history in ANBU. She needs to have an alibi for suddenly showing up after twenty years of no one knowing her."

"Namikaze Fuuko…" Hiruzen reiterated. "Why not Uzumaki?"

Naruto shook her head. "The name and appearance are meant to draw attention to my relation to Minato. As a Namikaze, Fuuko—with her blonde hair and blue eyes—would be more likely to attract the attention of certain missing-nin."

Hiruzen raised a single eyebrow and Naruto continued. "Even though 'Fuuko' will mostly be identified as Tou-san's relative, I want you to make me a distant relative of both Kushina's and Minato's. Say my mother's second cousin ended up marrying father's second cousin, twice removed… Or something. Anyway, I need to have some connection to both of them, because I intend on using the Kongo Fuusa and the Hiraishin, along with it's derived Jutsu, many of which I am the proud creator of. Oh, and also because I intend on using the Rasengan as well."

The Hokage took out a sheet of paper and began jotting down illegible scribbles. "I will create an alibi for Namikaze Fuuko. Do you wish for her to be a guardian of you, Naruto?" Naruto hid her shock well. She hadn't expected the Sandaime to be so… accommodating. Even though it was proven that she _was_ Naruto.

"No, I need her to be someone detached from… me. I'll make a big deal eventually, about, 'you were my relative, you knew me but you never helped me!?' kind of thing. You know."

"I understand. I will give Namikaze Fuuko a reasonable alibi. However, I will need you to assume the identify of an… ANBU member, for a while. It would only make the story more plausible. You will also need to undergo a Jounin evaluation, monitored by me. Your opponent will be another Jounin of my choosing."

Naruto's eyes held stars. "Ooh! What mask will I get? Can I have frog!?" She had been Frog in the Genjutsu during her time in ANBU, and even if the mask wasn't completely the same, the title alone would give her some semblance of the familiar routine.

Hiruzen chuckled. "I apologize, Naruto-chan. But the position of Frog has already been taken. In fact, all the masks have been taken except for Snake…"

"Oh HELL no," Naruto gave a look of disgust. "Snakes make me think of the slimy bastard Orochimaru. I am NOT wearing a mask of a snake!"

Hiruzen grimaced. "I see. We might have to make you a custom mask, then… What animal would you prefer?"

"I get to choose?" Naruto smiled and tapped her chin. Typically, new ANBU masks were not created, the same animals and designs were kept through the generations. It was something of an age-old tradition, to hand down one's mask to his or her protege and successor. To be the start of a new 'lineage' per se was a great honor indeed. "Hmm…Wolf?"

"Taken."

A scowl adorned her fair features. "Ox."

"Reserved."

Naruto grumbled. "Er… Falcon!"

"Also taken."

'Whatthefuck? There was no Falcon last time, only Hawk,' she thought angrily. "Lion!"

"Too similar to Tiger."

'And Falcon isn't similar to Hawk?' She thought ruefully. She was seriously grasping at animals, now. She couldn't think of anymore 'badass' animals and was really against ending up with something like 'rabbit' or 'puppy.'

"Crocodile!"

"Carries a bad stigma."

Naruto inwardly mouthed the words, 'WHAT-THE-FUCK.' Don't ask how, she just did.

"May I make a suggestion?" Hiruzen chuckled at Naruto's hopeful look.

"Please make it a badass animal. Please. Not rabbit, not puppy, not kitten, not squirrel."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Hiruzen smiled. He unlocked one of his drawers and pulled out a box. He placed the box on his desk and motioned to Naruto to open it.

She picked up the mask and inspected it. The mask seemed to have horns(or were they ears? Antlers?), four to be specific. The outer two were larger than the inner two. Black marked the nostrils and the curved mouth, and the red marked the mustache-looking lines and the marks beneath and above the eyes. It kinda reminded her of an axolotl, with some facial hair. "… What is it? A salamander?"

Hiruzen shook his head. "Very close. The mask was, indeed, supposed to be a salamander, a fire salamander in particular. The horns were disputed, however, and it ended up being labeled 'Lizard.'"

"So this is a 'Lizard' mask?" Naruto made a face. 'Similar to snakes… And lizards are supposed to be weaker than snakes. I don't like that notion,' she thought.

"No, it is not a lizard." Naruto tilted her head in confusion and Hiruzen smiled. "After much debating, it wasn't fit to be a lizard, either. But do you know what lizard in particular was thought of when they changed it's animal from Salamander to Lizard?"

Naruto shook her head.

"Bearded Dragon."

Her eyes widened comically.

"It's… It's a Dragon mask."

Hiruzen nodded, smile still in place. When Naruto recovered, her face mirrored the Hokage's and she beamed at him. "… That _is_ pretty badass."

And suddenly, the pseudo mustache made sense.

"That reminds me, Jijii," Naruto placed the mask on the side of her head. She then performed a Chihenge Jutsu to once again look like her 20-year-old self. "Do you think you can help me get some clothes made that… Look like what I have on right now? This is actually a technique of mine, Chihenge."

Hiruzen held out a piece of paper and a pen. "Write down the specifics, and I'll see what I can do."

Naruto jumped and hugged the man across the desk. "Thanks Jijii! Also, have you heard of blood platinum by chance?"

"Blood platinum…?" Hiruzen pondered the name while Naruto jotted down notes on the paper. "I'm afraid not. Perhaps ask the weapon smith in the shopping district? I'm sure they would know of the name."

"Alright, thanks again Jijii." She handed him the paper and sat back down.

A pregnant silence fell between them and Naruto started fidgeting in her chair.

Hiruzen eventually looked up from his paperwork and spoke.

"I have been meaning to ask, Naruto-chan. In rank, exactly how far did you go?"

Naruto smiled. She was rather thankful that the silence had been lifted. "Genin!"

Hiruzen's pipe dropped out of his mouth. He didn't catch it this time, and it bounced to the floor. "… Genin?" Why in the world was she so proud of that?!

"Oh," Naruto added as though an after thought. "I…. I guess I was in ANBU for a little bit. I also made it to Hokage. I sort of have the experience and everything… But I don't really consider it a rank. So, yeah, Genin." She grimaced. 'Not to mention, this was all in the dream. I don't know exactly how much it can count for, but I know it can at least count for 'field experience'…. I hope,' she thought sorrowfully.

The Sandaime held his head in his hands. "Naruto, why were you still Genin?" The question resulted in Naruto giving an exasperated sigh.

"Well, the first time I took the Chuunin Exams, there was some… Interference, to put it lightly. Then, I had pretty much no time for it, because of training and fighting this organization called the Akatsuki. Not to mention, for a while I was ineligible since my team was incomplete. The second time I got around to trying… Well, I got disqualified for using a technique that was banned. Heh. From then on, I just couldn't take the time to focus on it, since everything just escalated. Konoha didn't have the resources nor the time to spare placing me back in the Exams, so when the time finally came, I was given the hat."

Hiruzen smiled. "How old were you when you got 'the hat,' Naruto-chan?"

Naruto looked away immediately and spoke barely above a whisper. "… I was the Nanadaime, after Tsunade-baachan the Godaime and Kakashi-sensei the Rokudaime. I held the office for 5 years."

Hiruzen's eyes widened. What she was saying was that she was fifteen when she was made Hokage… But he remained silent. Her sudden withdrawn attitude told him that she did not wish to speak on the subject further.

"Anyways, Jijii, I should go. You have all that paperwork to do and I know it'll probably take you another four hours or so to complete it. I'll see you later!"

Naruto disappeared without a trace and the Hokage muttered under his breath, something about, 'damned paper menace.'

When Naruto reached her home, the first thing she did was get out some paper, an old paintbrush, and spilt some of her blood in a cup. She got to work making some seals for her house while mentally noting that she absolutely _had_ to get some real fuuinjutsu paper, brushes, and ink. The seals included defense seals and Hiraishin seals, for practical purposes.

After a shower and small meal, she collapsed onto her bed, finally realizing just how tired she was.

Suddenly, information rushed into Naruto's head. She had forgotten about the Kage Bunshin she had sent out to train.

After a few minutes of going over the memories that her Kage Bunshin had obtained, she smiled in triumph. She was able to use all of her techniques… Albeit, either at minimal power, or with the control of a seven-year-old trying to throw a kunai. She grimaced as she remembered one _particular_ technique ripping the limbs off of one of her clones before it dispersed. She'd be feeling phantom pains for the rest of the night.

On the downside of today's practice, she found that her chakra reserves were dismally low. Now that Kurama was back with her, she was probably back up to about 10% her original reserve levels… which, to be fair, were still above Chuunin rank.

Regardless, she would be training her ass off to be prepared for the inevitable in less than a year.

The day of beginnings.

* * *

The next morning, Naruto received a letter and scroll addressed to her, but on the envelope the kanji for 'wind' was labeled. It was for "Fuuko."

She opened up the letter and was met by heavily coded text. Her eyes almost rolled to the back of her head.

'Oh god,' she thought, 'what the hell is thi-'

Her eye caught a familiar pattern, which ended up being a few familiar patterns. She found that, after five minutes, she could read the script.

"This is… ANBU script…" she said aloud. She had not been expecting the Sandaime to take her mention of ANBU experience to heart, as she said it in passing. Truthfully, she had only been in ANBU while in the Eternal Tsukuyomi.

And yet, the script that she had learned in her dream was apparently an actual code technique, used by the very people she had supposedly learned it from in her dream. At some point, she really needed to do some more research on just how much within the Tsukuyomi was valid…

But back to business.

She read the letter with discerning eyes.

'_Naruto,_

_Preparations for Namikaze Fuuko have been completed. Fuuko's Jounin examination will be in precisely a month at training ground 7, 8 o'clock sharp. Be prepared and trained, you will meet your opponent the day of._

_A residence for Fuuko has been attained, and you may use it as you wish. It is between the Hokage Tower and the training grounds, making it an ideal location for you. The address is XXX 12th XXXXX Street._

_The alibi is as follows:_

_Namikaze Fuuko wandered into Konoha at the age of nine, looking for her two relatives: Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato. She is related to Kushina as the daughter of Uzumaki Keichi who is the grandson of Uzumaki Mito. Uzumaki Keichi married Namikaze Naomi, who was a cousin to Minato. Namikaze Fuuko is the daughter of the two, and she holds most of her mother's features; the blonde hair and blue eyes. Uzumaki Keichi had been exiled from the clan for disobeying the clan head's orders and marrying an outsider when he already had a fiancee._

_Fuuko lived a fairly peaceful life until the age of four, when her parents were both killed by bandits. The bandits were about to kill her as well, but she was saved by Minato and Team Seven consisting of Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin, who were doing a delivery mission. Kakashi was not available at the time, due to another mission he was placed on, so there will be no conflicting stories. Fuuko had befriended Minato and he ended up telling her that, should she ever need help, she may come to Konoha._

_In secret, Fuuko followed the group back to Konoha, and when she was found, she asked Minato to teach her his techniques that she had seen. After revealing her heritage and showing her innate ability, Minato agreed to teach her his techniques. Kushina met Fuuko, and the three became a family. They kept her presence hidden from the entire team. When she turned six, she had mastered the Rasengan, Kongo Fuusa, and Hiraishin. She departed from Konoha at the same time that Team Minato departed for the Kannabi bridge mission, due to the fact that she was being kept in Konoha without being an actual citizen. Through ANBU, I had found out about her presence in Konoha, however, and kept an eye on her._

_When word got back that Obito had died, I lost track of Fuuko. Two years passed and all of Team Seven—excluding Kakashi—along with Kushina, died. That was when Fuuko came back to Konoha, distraught at losing her family. At first, she was turned away, but she was eventually integrated into Konoha as an actual citizen due to my meddling. She remained as an ANBU member who reported only to me, and kept her presence hidden. At the age of 12, she was sent on a mission that would take many years. Ultimately, she came back to Konoha after completing the mission which took a total of eight years. Should anyone ask what the mission was about, you may tell them that it is classified and of Kage-level secrecy._

_However much you wish to divulge is up to your discretion. I place full faith in your ability to maintain the timeline and ensure that the future you have seen does not come about to threaten us again._

_I managed to get the clothing you requested. Apparently, the flak jacket you wore was an old Konoha style that had been switched out, due to it's colour. The clothing is stored within the scroll that accompanies this letter._

_Also, you proven to me that you already knew of your parents. I will speak to you at a later date of their personalities to help with the alibi, but for now, a gift. Within the scroll are a few items that had been recovered after the Kyuubi attack, and I am certain your parents would have wanted you to take them._

_Stay well, Naruto-chan._

_Hiruzen'_

Naruto read over the story a few times before rolling up the letter and burning it. Even if it was in code, she could not take any chances in it falling in the wrong hands.

She picked up the scroll and sent a small pulse of chakra through it. Out popped about five copies of the outfit she requested, to her delight. Maybe a little excessive, but the tasks she had to complete were more than likely to leave her wardrobe in tatters. Excess is only insurance.

She grabbed the uniforms and placed them in a large box to be stored in her closet. That would go to 'Fuuko's' apartment, she noted.

Naruto looked at the scroll and noticed another two next to it. 'I guess Jijii placed the scroll with my parents' items in the original scroll,' she thought absently. As she did with the other, she sent a small pulse of chakra into the scroll—and out popped a rather large amount of items, mostly clothes.

Without blinking, she got to work sorting out the outfits. 'Three of dad's old Genin outfits, and Six of mom's…'

This information was part of what the Rikudou Sennin had provided her. He gave her memories that she shouldn't have had, memories that were not hers. This was one such example; she had her parents' memories of a certain kidnapping… And she immediately knew what the outfits in front of her were.

There were other outfits, notably of larger sizes and for older people. There was also the haori her father wore as the Yondaime Hokage. It made her heart constrict slightly.

She gingerly picked up the clothes and walked over to the closet. Her father's, she placed on the hangers and in her drawers. Her mother's, she placed in the box to be moved to Fuuko's apartment. It wouldn't do for a supposed boy to have a female's clothes, after all.

'**You could just say that you're a pervert.'**

Naruto flinched but then relaxed easily, a smile spreading on her face. 'Kurama. Good to hear from you.'

'**Don't get all mushy on me.'** Kurama grunted.

'Aw, but who wouldn't? You decided to speak to me just because.' Naruto walked back over to the pile.

'**No. You're forgetting something.'**

She paused as she sat down. '… And what would that be?'

'**Academy.'**

...

...

...

'… It's okay.'

'… **What?'** That, apparently, wasn't the reaction Kurama was expecting.

'It's okay,' Naruto repeated. 'I don't want to surprise everyone by suddenly being a super genius. Skipping some days would probably only help… I still need to retain that status as the "dead last." If I lose that spot, everything goes to hell.'

Kurama snorted before falling silent once more. Naruto decided to move on and focus on the rest of the items strewn about in front of her.

A signed copy of 'The Tale of the Gutsy Shinobi' caught her eye. She remembered the book, it was a rather good read. The book with the character she shared the name with…

She placed the book down gently, mentally noting that she should reread it later when she got the chance.

A scroll full of 100,000 ryo, two freakishly high-quality Fuuinjutsu brushes labeled "Uzumaki" and "Namikaze," a decorative inkstone, some fine china, a book of recipes, and a dozen of her father's Hiraishin kunai later, Naruto found herself staring at the last two items: A photo album and a small box. Naruto decided to inspect the former first.

There were pictures, many pictures of her parents. One that caught her eye was one where Minato and Kushina were dining at an expensive restaurant—the picture seemed to have been taken in secret—and her mother was threatening the waiter for whatever reason.

The next had her parents, Jiraiya, and that generation's Team Seven—all celebrating Kakashi's birthday. The poor boy looked like he was dragged there against his own free will.

Another picture had only Minato and Kushina, and it made her heart stop. It was the picture of the two of them together, Kushina pregnant with Naruto. She was certain that the picture was something conjured up in the Infinite Tsukuyomi, as she hadn't found it until after she had taken office as the Hokage. She felt as though she should've been extremely suspicious about the situation, but she found her heart melting at the sight. She truly wished that she could see her parents, speak to them again. But she would have to wait.

The next picture was of Minato and Kushina standing atop the Hokage tower, the monument in the background. Minato was wearing his Hokage cloak, and Kushina was dressed in a semi-formal dress. The two were the picture perfect couple.

Naruto sighed as she finished looking through the album. Had she truly been her physical age, she probably would have cried the moment she saw the first couple of pictures. There was a time where the very sight of her parents' faces made her cry—out of longing, sorrow, happiness, pride, anger, and many other emotions. But now, she had a firmer grip on them, to the point that she could act as emotionally stunted as the teme.

Even when she was given the option to go back even further in time, to meet her parents again, she had gone against it. Doing so would've caused a disturbance in the timeline, that she was certain of. She could no longer be Uzumaki Naruto, and would've need to tread more carefully.

The doesn't mean she never entertained the idea, however.

That was how she had come up with the name 'Fuuko.' She had, at one point, fully intended on going back to when her parents were alive as an entirely different person. She was willing to risk everything to see them again, to hold them, to cry in their arms, to simply spend time with them.

But Naruto had realized that, though a _happy_ dream, it was just a dream. Many times she told herself it was too good to be true. Eventually, she settled for the fact that no matter what, she _would_ see her parents again due to them placing small bits of their chakra into her seal.

Naruto picked up the album and slid it under her bed, fully intending on looking through it again. She walked over to the little box and picked it up to inspect it.

The box was fairly light, and when she shook it a light jingling sound could be heard. She opened the box and stifled a gasp.

She recognized the trinket.

It was the little silver necklace that Sasuke had given her in the dream… The centerpiece was a cabochon ruby, held in place by the silver ring around it's edges. A silver spiral was formed on either side of the ruby from the silver ring, holding the gem firmly in place.

Naruto chuckled. Perhaps Sasuke had found the necklace with Tsunade's help, and he was the chosen delegate to gift it. She smiled at the delicate necklace before snapping the clasp and putting it on. She dismissed the odd feeling of hesitance in the back of her mind.

She stood up, used the Chihenge no Jutsu technique, picked up the box of 'Fuuko's' items and walked out the door, but not before activating her safety seals. Without weaving through signs, she created two Kage Bunshin.

She simply nodded and watched as the clones made their way into the market to buy materials she'd need for her Fuuinjutsu. Naruto skipped and made her way to her newer apartment, inwardly thanking the Hokage for going along with her plan.

When she made it to her new apartment, she was pleasantly surprised by the furnishings and overall balance. It was very neat and tidy, and Naruto could see herself settling in nicely. She went into one of the bedrooms(she realized that it was a two-bedroom apartment, which confused her) and neatly stored away her new clothes. She checked through the closets and cabinets, and found that there was a total of two extra bed and pillow sheets, a vacuum cleaner, some kitchen utensils and cooking ware, and a few towels in the bathroom. If she didn't know any better, she'd think that someone was living there.

Immediately after scouting the house, she began working on seals to match the security in 'Fuuko's' house to Naruto's. By the time she finished, one clone had dispersed. It had dropped off the Fuuinjutsu materials it had bought and stored them. The second clone walked into the new apartment, handed Naruto the supplies and left over money, and dispelled. Naruto quickly went to store the second set of Fuuinjutsu supplies on the desk, making certain to treat the inkstone and brushes with care.

For the rest of the day, Naruto was at the far reaches of the training grounds, begrudgingly trying to build up her stamina and chakra. What technique was she forced to start with?

The leaf concentration exercise.

'I know what I'm going to be doing for the next couple of months,' she grumbled.

* * *

It had been a few weeks since 'Fuuko' had become an actual person. Naruto, henge'd as Fuuko walked to the market with the money she had left, precisely 75,000 ryo, and made her way to a certain weapon shop.

"Hello?" She called out. If she was correct, Tenten should have been working by this age…

"Hello! Welcome! How can I help you?"

Fuuko smiled. A little high-pitched, but it was the same voice and demeanor she had come to cherish from the young weapons mistress.

"Hello, I was hoping to make a custom order. A blood platinum blade Tanto. I only have 75,000 ryo on me, what is the highest ratio of blood platinum to steel you can give me with this sum of money?"

Tenten looked at Fuuko with befuddlement. "U-um, are you by chance looking for my father? He's the one that usually deals with custom order-"

"Nope," Fuuko continued smiling. "I want you to make my blade. How much?"

"U-uh…" Tenten struggled for words and Naruto pat her on the shoulder.

"I'll come back tomorrow, how does that sound? I know my request is a bit overwhelming." She spun on her heel and left out of the shop with a small, 'goodbye,' leaving the young weapons mistress in a state of confusion.

* * *

"Hello?"

"Oh, miss!"

Fuuko had come back the next day as promised, and she was happy to see that the weapons mistress had regained her spunk.

"Um, miss…" Tenten gestured, hoping to get a name.

Fuuko smiled. "You may call me Fuuko. What is your name?"

"I'm Tenten! Nice to meet you, Fuuko-san!"

"Oh please," Fuuko waved a hand dismissively. "Just call me Fuuko. Really. Anyway, any update on my request?"

Tenten nodded eagerly. "Yes! With 75,000 ryo, your custom order tanto can have up to 90% blood platinum, but I would recommend 70% for overall balance. You want to incorporate blood platinum to channel chakra, right?"

'90%?' Fuuko thought absently. 'Tenten did mention that the price had gone up due to it's sudden scarcity. Good that I came back in time then, I guess.' "Er, yes, it is for channeling chakra. Why would 70% be better than 90%?"

"Well, tempered steel is much more durable than most metals, though it is a poor chakra conductor. Blood platinum on the other hand, is one of the best chakra conductors out there, while also being one of the weaker weapon metals. Creating an alloy mixing the two would boost it's durability to rival that of most other metals while also giving it that chakra-channeling advantage!"

Tenten finished her explanation with a bright smile and Fuuko couldn't help but reciprocate. "That is quite astounding. You are rather well-informed, Tenten."

She beamed. "Of course, I need to know my weapons after all. Anyway, we already have the blood platinum in stock and I can start right away. That will be 50,000 ryo.

Fuuko's eyes widened. "50,000? I know you are putting less blood platinum now, but does that really warrant a 33% decrease in price?"

Tenten made a mock 'shh' sound. "Don't tell anyone! It's only the third time that I'm making a custom weapon, especially out of blood platinum! Of course I'm going to lower the price, this is a once in a lifetime learning opportunity." She seemed to catch what she was saying, because she suddenly clasped both hands over her mouth. "I mean, that is to say, I'm still, I won't make a mistake, I promise—"

Fuuko threw her head back in ceremonious laughter before pulling out the 50,000 ryo. "Don't worry, Tenten. I have full faith in your abilities, I know that you won't fail me."

Tenten gave a small smile. "I will have it ready in two weeks."

"Perfect! I was just about to ask when I could expect it. I actually have a certain test at the end of the month, and I was hoping my sword would be ready by then."

"Oh that's good! What is the test?" Tenten inquired.

Fuuko winked as she walked out of the store. "Secret."

* * *

Naruto was out training and practicing her katas. The evaluation was in three days, and she didn't have much time. Surprisingly, she had gotten her physical strength and ability up to about 25% in just under a month. She definitely had a strong chance against whoever she was pitted against…

Her musings were interrupted by the sound of hits landings and bark splitting. She went over to investigate…

… And what she found was not quite what she had been expecting. Not quite.

Based on the level of chakra she felt, she had assumed that it was a Chuunin, maybe Genin wreaking havoc. She wasn't surprised, however, to find Might Guy, Yuuhi Kurenai, and Sarutobi Asuma taking turns to beat the shit out of a training post. Not surprised, no, just rather… confused.

She quickly put on her mask and stepped out into the clearing and pulsed her chakra once, to make her presence known. The three Jounin turned around.

"What're you three doing, if you don't mind me asking?" Naruto inquired.

Asuma shrugged. "Not much. Just… Training."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Sure, training. I was over at the training ground next to this one. Imagine my surprise when I walk into the clearing to see three Jounin beating the shit out of this training post. Just what did it ever do to you?"

Kurenai giggled at Asuma's exasperated expression. "Okay, the truth is," Kurenai began explaining, "one of the Tokubetsu Jounin used one of his Jutsu and ended up making this post borderline invincible. It's become a sort of game to see who can reduce the post to splinters first."

Guy continued her explanation. "There is usually a much larger group of people, but today, the three of us are the most youthful! We have not yet given up hope of conquering this obstacle! I am Maito Guy, and I shall conquer this post with all my spirit!" He gave his famous nice-guy pose and Naruto giggled, to everyone's surprise.

"It is nice to meet you, Guy-san, you certainly are a rather youthful individual," Naruto spoke in an almost mock-eloquent tone. Before anyone could react she was upon the post, inspecting it.

Indeed, it was reinforced… By quite a bit of chakra. But it certainly wasn't invincible.

She backed up a few steps and settled into her Kawazu Kumite stance. She didn't need the Rikudou Sennin's style to do this.

A swift right kick, infused with Nature chakra, and the post exploded into thousands of splinters in the direction her kick followed through. The Jounin behind her simply gaped at the display and Naruto smiled triumphantly.

"Whew, I guess I'm not too rusty," she commented absently.

"Who are you?" The question came from Asuma, who wore a disgruntled look.

"Oh," Naruto shrugged. "No one too important. You guys will find out soon, anyway. You can just call me Ryuu for now, that was my ANBU alias."

Kurenai and Asuma exchanged a look while Guy created his solo-rendition of the springtime-of-youth backdrop. "Oh, so youthful! Such a hip attitude, much like my rival! Come, you must join me in the Springtime of Youth, young one!"

The other two paled. this was usually when Guy was either punched in the face, sent flying, avoided like the plague… Or all of the above.

But suddenly, Naruto giggled, making all three of the Jounin look at her incredulously.

"What is amusing to you, young flower?" Guy questioned.

Naruto made a mock motion of wiping a tear from her eye. "Oh, nothing really. Well, a few things. I'm not that much younger than you guys, for one." 'I'm actually older, mentally speaking,' she silently noted. "And secondly, your demeanor is rather… Refreshing."

Guy cocked his head to the side while the other two Jounin looked on, awaiting for Naruto to continue.

"Guy-san, I have a question. Do you think Spring marks the beginning? The prelude to life? Do you suppose it is the _best start_, per se?"

His thick eyebrows knitted together for a moment before he sprung into a proud pose. "Of course! Spring is the start of life, happiness, romance, and youth!"

Naruto chuckled again. "You know, you truly are the embodiment of Spring, Guy-san. And I understand your sentiment about Spring, it truly is a wonderful season…" Her demeanor became solemn, and though her eyes were on the Jounin in front of her, her mind was elsewhere. "It's the season where life springs forth, romance and life's vigor is abundant. But in honesty, I think I prefer the season of Fall myself."

Kurenai and Asuma exchanged a glance.

"Fall is the season where you can look back on your year. Life settles and drifts off in the wind as the season changes. You can reflect on the year you've had, assess it. By the time fall ends… It is as though you've reached a point in your life where you are happy with everything that has occurred. You are able to pass on, without a regret in the world…" She trailed off and let her gaze wander up to the blue, cloudless sky.

That's right.

She had been happy when she felt the last vestiges of life slip from her fingers.

Even though she was young in the Eternal Tsukuyomi, the tender age of 29, she had lived a fulfilling life. She was sad to leave her friends, but she had completed her goal and saved everyone. She had been content to leave her loved ones behind, knowing that they were safe.

"But what about winter?"

Winter. What she was living in was Winter. It had been a terrible awakening, she was fine departing early with the knowledge that her friends were alright. But the thing was, they _weren't_. Before she came back to the past, all she had were regrets. All her friends were dead. She was in a barren wasteland, and her life was not a warm enough light to keep her warm. But…

"Winter…. Is where everything is dead." She caught the flinches of her audience and smiled. "But, then we're back to Spring right? Spring is made that much more amazing, that much more magical when you look at it from Fall, to Winter, and then to Spring. Fall, you are able to think back to your life. You are content to die. Winter, you realize just how empty…" Her words fell short and she spoke the words in her mind. '… How empty you are, especially if _you_ are that person to survive while everyone else has died.'

She turned to the Jounin with a smile once again forming on her face. "But it makes Spring that much sweeter. The life you thought was dead, the colour in life you thought was gone… It comes back." 'And you learn to appreciate it, much more than you had the first time. Because you felt what it was like to be a survivor. The last one. The crushing loneliness.' She nodded to herself as though reaffirming the words. "So in essence, I'm afraid I must disagree with you, Guy-san. In life, we take advantage of what we are given. We take our fortunes for granted, and we don't truly know how much they mean to us until they are gone, at which point it is far too late."

She turned on her heel and readied to go back to her own training, but called back one last sentence.

"Spring is wonderful, but there are two sides to every coin. You cannot truly appreciate the life of Spring without understanding the looming promise of death in Fall."

A swirl of leaves, and she was gone.

* * *

Guy was silent. Eerily so. He hadn't been this quiet since one of his teammates died.

But Kurenai could understand the sentiment.

The girl who had just passed by was like a tornado. For the first time in how long, someone didn't react in the typical manner after being around and watching Guy's soliloquy of youth and spring. Instead, she actually thought about his words… And offered an alternative. She actually took the time to consider that his words had a deeper meaning, and this wasn't something she nor Asuma had done until… _Years_ after they had met Guy.

Kurenai had noticed the look the young woman's eyes, it was that same dull, tired look that veterans of war held. Certainly she had a mask covering her face, but the Genjutsu mistress could tell that the woman they spoke to was no older than 24. She was even younger than Kurenai; too young to have such a look lurking in her eyes, too young for something so terrible to weight down on her life like that.

She looked to Asuma and could tell he was thinking similar thoughts. Whenever he was in deep thought or caught off guard, the cigarette in his mouth drooped slightly and he would stop all outward movement.

Kurenai's eyes drifted to their green-clad friend, who was in a similar state. His eyes were unfocused, and he was clearly in deep thought.

Suddenly, realization dawned on the Genjutsu master.

"… We never got her name."

The other two Jounin simply nodded, still dwelling slightly in their thoughts.

* * *

"Tenten, is it ready?" Naruto, henge'd as Fuuko, walked into the store with a skip in her step.

"Fuuko! Nice to see you. Yeah, it is, and it turned out awesome!" Tenten handed the sheathed blade to it's new owner and watched as Fuuko appraised the weapon.

"… It's gorgeous," she breathed. Was it just her or was it an even better rendition of her old one?

"Glad you like it!" Tenten exclaimed. "Truth be told I had finished it about a week ago… But I decided to take the extra week to add some of my own personal touches. You can actually control whether or not your chakra shows while channeling it! It can be invisible and silent or visible and loud. It is easiest to do so with the Wind, Fire and Lightning natures though. I wouldn't try it with earth…

"Oh, don't worry," Fuuko reassured the girl. "My Doton sucks, big time. I'm probably not even going to try channeling earth chakra through the blade, let alone use it in a fight."

"I see," Tenten smiled. "Well, I'm glad you like it! Come back if anything appears to be wrong, I would be happy to fix it up for free."

"I'll keep that in mind!"

* * *

Naruto grumbled in her seat.

At the moment, she was in the classroom at the Academy, taking a test that was easier than learning-how-to-piss. How did she end up here, you ask? Well, let's recap.

_It was a quiet morning._

_The sun was shining brightly and the birds were chirping in harmony to Naruto's rather monotonous alarm. It had been humming for about an hour, but she couldn't bring herself to drag her tired form out of the comfort of the sheets. The previous day had been a particularly grueling training session, as it was the last day she had to truly beat her muscles until they were sore. She needed at least a day of recovery in order to fight at full-power, after all._

_She rolled over and cast a lethargic look to the exuberant alarm clock._

"_Seven-thirty…" she grumbled. "… Jus' five more minutes…"_

_BANG BANG BANG_

_Naruto leapt out of bed from the sudden noise and fell onto the floor in an unsightly mess of sheets and limbs. She stood up, unsteady, and wearily made her way to her door. She forgot to look through the peephole, and simply opened the door._

"_Hell-"_

"_WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, NARUTO!?" Iruka was using his famous Big-Head no Jutsu and if Naruto wasn't awake before, she certainly was now. She had completely forgotten about Academy._

"_Um," she replied intelligently, trying to find an excuse. "… Classified?"_

Of course, that excuse hadn't worked(which really sucked because she wasn't even lying) and she was promptly dragged to the classroom as soon as she was dressed and ready. Apparently there was a quiz that day and it was on chakra control.

'Great,' Naruto thought bitterly. 'Stupid test. Maybe I should just answer all of the question correctly so he'll leave me alone… Or would that result in something even worse?' She shivered at the thought of being placed on the same team as Ino or Kiba if she was unable to stay the dead last. Sure, Ino was a great girl, and Kiba meant well. She just didn't know if she could take nagging that was essentially Sakura's nagging but on steroids, and Kiba sometimes smelled like dog shit. Getting a 100% on a single test probably wouldn't affect her placement as the "Dead Last" too much, right? Plus, it'd get Iruka off of her case… And if worse comes to worse, she could just ask the Hokage to make certain she _stayed_ as the Dead Last.

She decided that she should play it safe.

"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto raised her hand, she had an honest question.

Iruka's lower eyelid twitched. He was clearly still aggravated. "Yes, Naruto?"

"Can we speak outside for a minute?"

The hand that held his book dropped slightly. "Er, what for Naruto?"

"Matters of a personal nature that need to be discussed."

He blinked. "…. Only one minute. Class, please continue reading the rest of the page."

The two walked outside of the classroom and Iruka crossed his arms. His foot was tapping incessantly, showing his clear ire. "Well?"

"I was just wondering," Naruto began, "about two things. One, what would happen if I failed today's quiz?"

"You would be scheduled for a make-up and a detention after class. You've missed a whole _month_ of class! Just what have you been doing that has kept you away from class for so long!?" Iruka's face showed a mixture of emotions, anger, irritation, and worry. Mostly the first two, though.

"Eh… Well, I'll tell you later. Anyway," she hurriedly continued before Iruka spoke again, "two, what percentage of our overall grades do quizzes and tests count for? What about the final exam that determines whether or not we become Genin?"

Iruka placed his hands on his hips and huffed. "Well, generally speaking the final exam has no impact on one's grade. A student's grade is simply a matter of measuring their ability throughout the four years, whereas the final exam is to see if there was anything missed. The purpose of the final exam is to determine whether or not a student is ready to become a ninja, and everything prior determine's a student's placement. Hence," Iruka's speech was sibilant with anger but no malice, "you are the _Dead Last_ right now, Naruto."

"Alright!" Naruto clapped her hands once and smiled, much to Iruka's surprise. "So, if I got 100% on all of the tests from now to graduation, could you make absolutely certain that no one found out, and that I would be secure in the position as 'Dead Last?' Meaning, could you ensure that I get placed on the team with the top kunoichi and top shinobi?"

Iruka gaped. Academy students were not supposed to know about the way how teams were delegated. And he would have figured that Naruto would be shouting down the halls about how he would be the top shinobi of his class. He actually _wanted _to be the dead last? His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'if I got 100% on all of the tests'? And how did you find out about the dead last, top kunoichi and top shinobi delegation?"

"Well, if I get 100% on all of the tests from now on, you won't have any problem with me missing out in class right?" Iruka gaped. Again. "I don't mind getting 100%, as long as you don't let _anyone_ find out. And I mean _anyone_. Well, except Jijii, you'll probably need his help on this anyway but-"

"… Wait," Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose and grimaced. He felt a migraine coming on. "_How_ would you get 100%? You've missed all of the classes! And 'Jijii?' Who is 'Jijii'?"

Naruto pouted. "To answer your previous question about how I knew about the team delegation, I've known for a while. I mean, if you look in past graduation records, there has _always_ been a team that had the two reputed top female and male shinobi, and then the dead last of the class. I just asked _Jijii_—the _Hokage_—for verification, and he informed me." Iruka didn't simply gape this time, his jaw hit the floor. "As for how I would get 100%… Like I said, I've known about the team placements for a while now. It was in my plan to be the dead last and graduate with the top kunoichi and top shinobi and be placed on their team." That was a lie, up until a month ago she was her old, stupid self that didn't know anything. Iruka didn't need to know that, though.

"… And why do you want to be on the team with the top kunoichi and shinobi?" Iruka was still shocked, but he was steadily getting over it. He would scold Naruto on his misuse of the Hokage's title later. He still didn't know whether or not to believe that Naruto could get 100%, either. "Do you even know the _reason _for Dead Last being teamed up with them?"

"Yes." Naruto's reply left Iruka somewhat taken aback. "It is meant to motivate the dead last by placing him or her on a _supposedly_ strong and stellar team." Iruka didn't miss the emphasis on supposedly. "I know what you're thinking, Iruka. If I'm not as stupid as I seem, then I won't be the dead last. I'll be robbing the position from someone else who would benefit from being on a team with the two top students of the class. But you know what I think?"

Naruto's tone grew severe and she looked at her teacher with an unwavering gaze. "That method of placement is absolute _bullshit_."

Iruka gasped. "Naruto-"

"Let me finish," Naruto ground out. "Sure, the top kunoichi and shinobi are great. Amazing, even. But, ultimately, they're all still _children_. Children who don't know the horrors of war, who don't have blood on their hands, who don't understand the frailty of life and don't have the training to take it away. All that the delegation of dead last, top shinobi and top kunoichi manages to do… Is make a team with little to no teamwork. The dead last wouldn't even be considered a _teammate_ by his peers because of his or her history as the dead last. The top shinobi and kunoichi… They are still children. They will feel entitled to _ignoring_ the dead last, no matter how much their _sensei_ stresses _teamwork_."

Naruto motioned to the closed classroom door. "I know I am somewhat biased, but I am speaking of the two who will most likely be this year's top shinobi and top kunoichi. Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura." She turned back to Iruka. "Tell me, do you really think that the_ Uchiha survivor_, bent on revenge, would make an effort to befriend and work together with his team, let alone a _true dead last_? And Haruno…" Naruto sighed. "She's a fangirl of the Uchiha, through and through. She would be willing to go with _anything_ he says. And, she's _book smart_. _Civilian_. The cold truths of war and carnage have never even touched her. She's read about it in books, sure, but she has _no_ street smarts."

"So, tell me, Iruka-sensei," Naruto looked at Iruka with a sorrow that he couldn't place. "Do you really think that method of team delegation is so appropriate? Do you really want to tell me that I can't have the position of Dead Last? I'm telling you this now, I have a _very_ good reason for my goal, even more so than what I have already revealed. So," She looked at the clock in the hallway, realizing she had about eight minutes to finish the quiz. "can you promise me that I will be the dead last, no matter what? If you can, then I'd like to get back to the quiz and show you proof of what I can do. That is, if I have your word."

The gears in Iruka's brain were turning at a sedate pace and stuck in a rut as though rusted over. Was this really Naruto?

"I am me, Iruka-sensei. You can ask the Hokage for proof. But he won't tell you any more than I've told you." Apparently he spoke his question out loud.

"Uh," Iruka coughed. "… I will need to think about it for a little while… But for now, you have my tentative word. I will speak to the Hokage for verification."

The two walked into the classroom and Naruto took her seat and promptly started writing on the test. She finished with three minutes to spare, flipped her test over and waved over to Iruka.

"I gotta go now, Iruka-sensei. Have fun talking to Jijii!"

And with that, she was gone, leaving a classroom of confused students and one extremely tired teacher.

"I don't get paid enough for this…"

* * *

"… Wow." Iruka looked at the pristine paper in front of him, unmarred by red marks except the sole percentage at the top.

"What is the matter, Iruka-san?" Another teacher, a woman, called out to him from her desk.

"Suzume-san…" Iruka leaned back into his chair and sighed. He was about to speak but remembered Naruto's words about secrecy. "… It's nothing, really. I'm just… Lucky to have the top shinobi in my class, I suppose."

"Uchiha Sasuke?" Suzume chuckled. "You are both fortunate and unfortunate at the same time. I hear that your female students are not exactly… Easy to handle."

Iruka stood up and collected his papers. "Yeah, they are somewhat difficult to deal with, but at the very least they _do_ try. I need to go speak to Hokage-sama. Have a good day, Suzume-san."

With a nod, he left the office and headed to the Hokage's office. There was much he needed to speak about…

* * *

"Nee, Sasuke."

The boy in question whipped his head around, only to be greeted by the blonde-haired and blue-eyed boy, clad in the usual orange jumpsuit. Sasuke immediately schooled his features and went back into his 'brooding' pose.

Naruto rolled her eyes. Clearly she wasn't going to get an actual response out of him, so she had to do it herself. She looked around the classroom.

All of the girls were somewhat distracted, looking through their textbooks, talking amongst each other. Sasuke, as per the usual, still had their attention but they were not boring a hole through his face.

"Dobe." Naruto flinched. She wasn't expecting him to actually speak. "How did you get back here? I didn't detect your presence."

The girls were all looking at Sasuke now, seemingly straining their hearing to listen. Naruto smirked. 'Perfect,' she thought. 'Even better.'

She jumped back as though surprised, and in an exaggerated motion she threw her hands back. Sasuke looked at her incredulously. "WHAT!" She yelled. "You _don't_ like the delicate, prim and pretty girls!?"

The room fell silent. Naruto could feel the assessing stares of the female population in their year, the incredulous looks from the male population, and the rather real irritation emanating from the broody Uchiha. "Dobe, just wha-"

Naruto made another exaggerated motion. "WHAAAAAT!? You like the STRONG, WELL-ROUNDED KUNOICHI-TYPE!? The ones that can rival YOU?! Amazing! I never would have taken you for the type to go for STRENGTH BEFORE BEAUTY!"

Naruto heard the sound of pencils on paper and smirked. She didn't even need to turn around to know just what was being written down.

Sasuke's left eye twitched. "… Dobe, you better shut up, or-"

"OH, I UNDERSTAND," Naruto spoke over him and nodded her head in understanding. She could do this as a favor to him, since he _was_ the metaphorical tool she was using to her advantage. "The fangirl types ARE RATHER ANNOYING, I MUST CONCUR." The sounds of pencils momentarily stopped before resuming. "You like the types that DON'T FOLLOW YOU AROUND and prefer to FOCUS ON THEIR TRAINING. Very noble of you, Uchiha."

She took one quick glance around the room, noting the wide eyes of Sasuke and Shikamaru(the two had figured out the ploy, finally), the rather concentrated visage of the female students and the still confused looks of the male students. She nodded to herself. This year's kunoichi would be much stronger this time around.

"Well, it was nice talking to you, Sasuke-teme, but I gotta go. Bye!"

Just like last time, she disappeared without a trace.

Sasuke grunted, somewhat grateful despite Naruto's generally annoying self.

* * *

Hiruzen simply stared, awaiting Iruka's reason for the visit.

'C'mon, Iruka, just say it. Tell him what you just spoke to Naruto about,' he inwardly urged.

'But where do I start!? This is all so crazy! The Hokage won't believe me-'

"You are here about Uzumaki Naruto I assume." The Sandaime's voice cut through Iruka's inner turmoil, and the man sighed in relief.

It seemed the Hokage had been expecting him. "Er, yes. I am."

The Hokage leaned back in his chair, but his gaze did not shift. "And what exactly seems to be the problem?" He had a few ideas about what hell Naruto had incurred, but he wasn't certain.

"Well…" Iruka took a deep breath. "Naruto had missed an entire month of classes so, I, as his teacher, went to drag him back to the Academy. There was a quiz today, and Naruto requested that we speak outside of the classroom. He talked about getting 100% on all of the tests and quizzes from now on if I could guarantee that he was the dead last placed on the usual team delegation after graduation and I was shocked, needless to say, about his knowledge about that particular team placement. He told me about how it is a, er, inappropriate method of team placements, telling me how he believed he should be placed on the same team as Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke and said that he needed this for a good reason and then he told me to come to you for verification."

He breathed and hazarded a glance to the Hokage. He seemed completely calm, and not at all taken aback by the events. Iruka felt himself break out into a cold sweat. "I-I apologize for wasting your t-time, Hokage-sa-"

"It is quite alright, Iruka. It is not a waste of my time at all." Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and set it down. He had read Inoichi's report, and it was evident that Naruto had been the Dead Last previously, placed on Team Seven under Hatake Kakashi's supervision along with Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke.

"U-um," Hiruzen was taken out of his thoughts by Iruka's nervous stutter.

"Ah, I apologize. I was simply thinking to myself… Yes, I can verify that Naruto has a legitimate reason. It is per my instruction that s… he be placed on a team with Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura after the graduation exam." He caught his slip.

Iruka stood. "But, Hokage-sama! With all due respect, Naruto is-"

"How did Naruto score on the quiz?"

The Chuunin blinked. "Pardon?"

"The quiz," Hiruzen motioned to the stack of papers in Iruka's hand. "How did Naruto fair?"

Iruka sat back down. "He… He got 100%."

Hiruzen could not help the smile that crossed his face. His little Naruto-chan had truly grown, he had once thought that she would never pay any mind to her studies. "What is the problem, then? He has proven his aptitude, has he not?"

"Y-yes, but I am still unsure… There is not enough proof! As Naruto himself said, they are all but children! I cannot accurately judge him without seeing his other abilities!" Iruka was indignant despite himself, and Hiruzen nodded, to his surprise.

"I am glad you think this way, Iruka. Most Academy teachers would have been elated at the chance to liberate themselves from dealing with Naruto on a daily basis. Had you answered any differently…"

Iruka gulped. "… Well, that does not matter. You answered as I had hoped. These quizzes and tests, they include Taijutsu and Ninjutsu evaluations, do they not?"

"Oh." Iruka eyes widened in realization and he sheepishly nodded. "… Yeah, they do."

Hiruzen smiled. "Then there should be no problem. I only ask that you conduct Naruto's in private. As he said, there are reasons for why he need be placed on a team with Haruno and Uchiha. It is the same reason why his evaluations should be conducted in private. In public, please treat Naruto as though he is still the dead last, and do not allow anyone to hear of his true… Prowess."

Iruka shuddered, an ominous thought occurring to him. "… Naruto… None of this has to do with…?"

"No," Hiruzen's reply was curt and severe. "It does not. In fact, there is no reason to worry about that particular extremity from now on." Iruka cast a confused glance and Hiruzen shook his head. "If that is all, I have paperwork to attend to."

Iruka shot up out of his chair and bowed. "Yes, Hokage-sama! I apologize for taking your time, I will be going back now…"

He walked out of the Hokage's office, still rather confused.

* * *

Today was the day.

The day of 'Fuuko's' Jounin evaluation.

And yet, and yet…. Her _proctor_ was late.

Fuuko and Hiruzen stood in the middle of training ground Seven, still awaiting the arrival of the proctor. She turned to the Hokage, and though her face was obscured by her mask, he could feel her hesitance. Her stomach was churning and her mind was stuck on the possibility of her evaluator being _a particular Jounin_…

"This… Proctor. It isn't…?"

Hiruzen shook his head and smiled. "You shall see."

Fuuko groaned. If it was who she thought it was, then her evaluation was going to be rather… Interesting.

Suddenly, in a swirl of leaves, _he_ appeared. And Fuuko inwardly cringed. 'It _is_ him.'

He assessed the potential Jounin with a lazy gaze and spoke. "Hmm, so you're the Jounin-to-be? Ryuu, was it?"

Fuuko nodded. "Yes, Ryuu was my ANBU Alias. I am Namikaze Fuuko."

The man twitched at the name and Fuuko glanced at Hiruzen. He apparently did not even divulge her name.

"…I see." The man placed his book in his pocket and reached out to shake Fuuko's hand. "Hatake Kakashi, your proctor for the day."

Fuuko reciprocated the gesture. "I am in your care."

"So…" Kakashi scratched his chin in a casual gesture, but was immediately upon Fuuko with a kick to her left side. She expertly blocked it and returned the blow with a punch to his gut, which was also blocked. She whirled around with a kick to his head and grazed his hair.

The two leapt backwards, neither falling into a stance. "Phew," Kakashi brushed his shoulder as though brushing away dirt. "Didn't think you'd be able to block that surprise attack."

He looked at her as though expecting a retort of some form. "… What, not going to complai-"

Suddenly, Fuuko was behind him, delivering a rather sharp jab to his spine. Kakashi cringed before whirling around and trying to grab for his assailant. Unfortunately, she moved with him and delivered a low-powered burst of wind chakra to his side. Kakashi went flying across the field and slammed into a tree, rather beaten. He stood up, a little unsteady.

"You'll need to use your Sharingan if you hope to assess me properly, Kakashi-san."

Kakashi twitched before shrugging and reaching to lift his headband. "… Very astute of you, _Namikaze-san_. How exactly did you pull off that Jutsu, if you don't mind me asking?"

Fuuko lifted her hand and gave a cocky 'bring it' motion which made Kakashi's eye twitch. She smirked behind her mask. "Questions can be asked later."

Kakashi gripped his arm and Fuuko watched as lightning chakra gathered in his palm. 'Wow, he really is pulling out all of the stops,' she thought humorously. 'In that case…'

Fuuko began channeling her wind chakra. She did not have a name for the technique yet, but it was something that would prove rather effective against Kakashi's Raikiri. Suddenly the man leapt forward, Raikiri complete and ready to take Fuuko out. However, just as he reached out towards her his attack was halted; Fuuko had disappeared from his front and she appeared to his side, grabbed his arm and he watched as his lightning chakra immediately… Disappeared.

"… Wha-"

Fuuko swung his arm around and kneed him in the gut, sending him flying into the air. Before he could try and weave through seals he was delivered a powerful kick to his back, sending him hurtling back to the ground.

However, he suddenly found himself standing in front of the Hokage, a red blade pressed his jugular and his hands behind his back, being restrained with wind chakra. He hadn't even felt her execute the Shunshin.

He sighed. "I yield."

Fuuko released her grip and the man sat on the ground after readjusting his forehead protector. "Well, I believe she is more than ready for Jounin rank. I must ask, Hokage-sama, just where did this girl come from?"

"I believe I will let Fuuko-chan answer that question herself." Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the familiar tone.

Fuuko sat down across from Kakashi. "Can I at least see the face of the one who bested me?" He asked in a rather sarcastic tone.

"Don't be so depressed Kakashi-san, had you not underestimated me you probably would've beaten me. In fact, I'm certain you would have." She was not exaggerating in the least. Though she had the mind and cunning of someone much older, she was still physically an 11-year-old. If the Jounin had come at her with the seriousness that she had, she would have lost her advantage and ended up in the hospital.

Her reply was his deadpan stare and she sighed. "Well then, if I'm done..?"

"No," Kakashi replied tersely. "Who are you?"

Fuuko cocked her head to the side innocently. "I believe I answered that question already."

"Your background. Why have I never heard about you before now? You are far too powerful to have simply flown under the radar, all this time…" The silver-haired Jounin narrowed his single eye.

The Hokage frowned. He opened his mouth to say something, but Fuuko glanced in his direction. 'Don't worry Jijii, I'll handle it.'

"I understand that your suspicion is valid, Kakashi-san, but I would appreciate that you did not scrutinize me as though I were a ticking time bomb," she stated plainly. "I have Hokage-sama's trust, and I can guarantee that my heart and loyalty lies with Konoha."

"But that doesn-" Kakashi resumed speaking, only to be cut off.

"I was not finished." Fuuko gave no hints to her emotions, her body held no cues and her voice was as steady as a stilled lake. "I have operated under Hokage-sama for twelve years, more than half my life. I am indebted to him, my family, and Konoha."

"Family?" Kakashi questioned, suspicion still evident in his tone.

"Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato. They are both my relatives, and they had taken me in for two years when I was but four. Minato saved me from bandits that had killed my parents, and I was lead to Konoha where I met Kushina, a distant relative."

A small silence fell amongst the three before Kakashi asked another question. "But where have you been all of this time?"

Fuuko sighed. She was getting tired of this interrogation game. "They took me in when I was four, I left when I was six. That was when all of you went on the Kannabi Bridge mission," at this, Kakashi flinched. "I left because I didn't want to be anymore of a burden, and they had taught me… Enough to stay alive. I came back after I heard that they had died, when I was 8. It was at that point that Hokage-sama took me under his protection, and I entered ANBU after showing exemplary skills. However, I was kept out of the roster, for fear of certain individuals finding out about my connection to the Yondaime Minato, AKA the Yellow Flash. I then went on a mission I cannot disclose that took 8 years. Most of the secrecy was for my safety, though I reached a point of power to defend myself a long time ago."

Kakashi crossed his arms and looked at the grass between them, deep in thought. "… How old are you?"

"I am twenty at the moment," she answered plainly. "Have I answered all of your questions? Do you believe me?"

The silver-haired Jounin combed a hand through his gravity-defying spikes and sighed. "I suppose that is enough."

And this, Fuuko relaxed and stood up to stretch. "Ugh, I've been sitting for too long. But now I want to eat," she turned to the Hokage. "Jijii, let's go eat some ramen!"

If he didn't have his mask to cover his face, Kakashi's jaw would've hit the floor. The young woman's sudden change in demeanor had caught him off-guard, and she was acting so casual with the Hokage that she could actually convince another that she truly _was_ his granddaughter.

Hiruzen chuckled. "Certainly."

Fuuko turned to Kakashi and held out a hand, motioning for him to take it. "Want to come, Kakashi?"

The Jounin snorted. "You're pretty bold. No more 'Kakashi-_san_,' huh?"

Fuuko waved a hand dismissively. "Nah. No need."

A single silver eyebrow was raised. "Oh? And why not?"

"Because," Fuuko began dragging the two towards her favourite ramen stand. 'You are probably one of the closest things to a living relative I have right now, aside from Jijii,' she thought quietly.

"Because?" Kakashi repeated, no longer fighting the blonde's grip on his wrist.

She turned to him and he peered into azure eyes through the holes of the mask, holding inscrutable emotion. He realized that she was probably smiling.

Fuuko nodded. "Because."


	4. Pasts Disclosed

**Rating: T for some… Colourful language.**

**A/N: ****New chapter! I think it steadily gets more angsty from here on out, but it'll become more lighthearted after Naruto clears her head. I promise. I don't think there will be so much to the point that I change the genre, but we'll see.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Pasts Disclosed**

When Iruka walked into his classroom, he was expecting it's usual noisy yelling and screaming, something that was normal in a classroom of children.

What he hadn't expected was to see only half of his students, and an eerie silence.

Iruka noted that all but one of the female students were gone(that 'one' being Hyuuga Hinata) and the boys were silently watching something going on outside of the classroom. Iruka coughed and everyone immediately scrambled to their seats, causing the man to raise an eyebrow.

"Can anyone explain to me why almost none of the female students are here, today?" He placed his books down at his podium and crossed his arms.

Nara Shikamaru was the one who decided to answer. "They're here, just outside. All of them are training."

Iruka blinked. "Training?"

"Yeah," Chouji was the next to speak up. "They've decided to work a lot harder to become strong kunoichi."

Iruka blinked again and then smiled. He was glad that they had finally put their affections for the Uchiha aside and decided to take their training seriously. But still, this was a rather drastic change. It worried Iruka, just what had occurred to change their minds?

"Naruto," Shikamaru supplied, apparently reading the Chuunin's worry. "Naruto tricked the female students. He pretended he was talking to Uchiha about what kind of girls he liked. He said 'strong kunoichi' and 'not fangirls.' It worked." The Nara shrugged and Iruka gaped.

'…. It was that easy?' The Chuunin thought to himself. And then he sighed, resigned to the fact that the girls _hadn't_ matured, they simply found another way to get closer to the Uchiha.

'Oh well,' he thought. At least they were motivated, and it would help him in the long-run. They would mature sooner or later, and all Iruka could do was try his best to prepare them as much as possible for the future.

"Can one of you call them in? I would like to start class."

* * *

"So, can you do it?"

Naruto sat in her mindscape, arms crossed and staring expectantly at Kurama. His eyes narrowed.

**"And _why_, pray tell, do you have the need to contact Shukaku? Just what are you planning?"**

Naruto shrugged. "I'm not _planning_ anything. I mean, I probably should be, seeing as the badger—"

"**Tanuki."**

"… Right. Tanuki, whatever. Seeing as the_ tanuki_ is probably going to try to rip my head off the first chance he gets."

Kurama grunted. **"That still doesn't answer my question."**

Naruto waved a hand dismissively and smiled. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing bad, I promise. Just going to try and make another ally, is all."

She watched as the fox's eyes widened for a fraction of a second. **"… You are going to tell them."**

"Oh no, I'm not going to tell them anything." She grinned at Kurama's slightly more relaxed slouch. "I'm just going to give Shukaku his memories back."

Kurama's head shot up from his lying position and he looked at Naruto as if she had grown a second head. **"His **_**memories**_**? Are you insane!? How did you even get his—never mind, that was probably the old man… You do realize that our memories can be transferred to the Gedo Mazo, right? Do you **_**want**_** to give the Akatsuki an upper hand!?"**

Naruto huffed lightly. "Who said I was going to let the Akatsuki get Shukaku?"

"**What happened to conserving the timeline?"** Kurama ground out.** "I thought that you had steeled your resolve and managed to put your emotions aside, but now you want to jeopardize the advantage you currently hold?"**

Naruto rolled her eyes. "I came back to the past to _change_ things, and I was never intending on letting them get Gaara. Never was, never will. Besides, you were the one who encouraged me to make more friends, remember_ that_?"

Kurama dropped his head to his hands and let out a groan. **"I think I preferred when you were just a bright, bumbling idiot. A lot easier to get you to shut up."**

"So… Can you?" Naruto tilted her head to the side, awaiting the fox's reply with bated breath.

Kurama contemplated the idea and then shook his head, to Naruto's dismay. **"Technically, yes, I can contact Shukaku. But only to **_**communicate**_**. If his memories are stored as mine were, then it is not possible to get him to remember utilizing… our method. What we tailed beasts use is a simple communication channel through a link that we inherently have due to our origins as one being. It can work between Bijuu and Jinchuuriki, but it would be a strained, secondary connection. Something like that would barely allow you to communicate clearly, let alone transfer memories. A stronger connection is required."**

Naruto's eye twitched and she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't think I like where this is going…"

"**Shukaku would need to enter your mind in order to retrieve his memories."**

She groaned. Apparently, she'd have to take that into consideration in her meeting with the Hokage.

Without further ado, she turned her attention outwards and felt the warmth of the sun's rays seep into her skin. She stood up to make a joint-popping stretch before she Henge'd into 'Fuuko,' and leapt off in the direction of the Hokage tower.

Konoha was, as usual, bursting with life and energy. People roamed the streets here and there, shop owners called out in the effort to draw in business. Fellow Shinobi could be seen leaping across the rooftops and blending into the sparse shadows of the bright village.

Konoha was not a lifeless expanse of dilapidated buildings and rotten corpses; it was exactly as it was _supposed_ to be.

And yet, in order to keep Konoha in this state, there were things she had to do. Things she had to change, as the unaccounted factor in Madara's plan. She had her own agenda, sure, and she had a plan for the distant future. But what was she to do _now_?

She hadn't changed a lot, thus far. She didn't want to change anything at this point; the only particularly major change she could've made was to fail the Graduation exam. And wouldn't _that_ throw a wrench into her plans. No, there wasn't a lot to be changed prior to the Genin test, prior to Team Seven. Heck, prior to the Chuunin Exams, even.

'I _do_ need to give Shukaku his memories now, however,' she thought absently. 'He needs to have his memories so that we will be able to form a…. tentative partnership. Maybe I can get Gaara to calm down easier during the Exams, this time around. Less casualties. Less time spent recovering. Less chances of being ill-prepared, should Madara adjust his own plans to the minute changes I've already incurred.'

When she arrived at the Hokage tower, she walked through the building's doors and gave the receptionist a smile(she was henge'd as Fuuko to make it effective, as Naruto she would've been given a sneer in return) and waited for the Hokage to allow her his audience.

'... **I already said that you cannot transfer memories through the link we bijuu share. How are you planning on getting Shukaku his memories? You can't exactly walk into Suna to do so.'**

Kurama had been stewing over the concept apparently, and Naruto couldn't help but grin. She had his support. 'I can and I will.'

'**How?'** Kurama questioned lazily.

'Well, obviously I would need to accept a mission near Suna as Fuuko—provided the Hokage accepts my proposal—and I could infiltrate Suna as a normal civilian. Befriend Gaara, get close to his seal, talk to Shukaku, and then I'm out.'

'**That's provided the boy doesn't tear you limb from limb,'** Kurama added.

'Ah.' She had forgotten that Gaara was a blood-thirsty psychopath at this point. 'Any suggestions?'

'**Stay in Konoha.'**

She repressed the urge to roll her eyes. 'Any suggestions on _ways to talk to Shukaku_?'

When Kurama didn't answer, she sighed. 'Never mind, I'll think on that when we cross that bridge. First step is to see if Jijii will even allow Fuuko to take missions so soon. I don't know if I have the trust of the council yet, and if I don't it will cause unwanted consequences. Whether or not Jijii is willing to deal with them… I don't know.'

It was then that a young Chuunin woman walked up to Naruto, snapping her back to reality. "Namikaze Fuuko-san? The Hokage may see you now."

'Fuuko' nodded and walked with her to the Hokage's office, mentally reviewing her words. She had a few things to tell him, about the Akatsuki, about Tobi, Madara, the Juubi, and her plans. The two walked to the Hokage's office and the woman departed with a quick bow.

"Hokage-sama." She knelt to the ground in a formal gesture to the aged man.

Hiruzen looked up from his paperwork and gave a small smile to 'Fuuko.' "Hello, Fuuko-san. What is it that you need?"

"Firstly, I would like to request a private audience."

The Hokage wordlessly sent his ANBU out and activated the dimension seal. "What is it that you need to speak about, Naruto-chan?"

Naruto dropped her henge and smiled as the henge mask dissipated. "It's good to see you, Jijii. What I need to speak to you about…. It's about my plan for the next couple of years," she pulled out a chair and settled into it. 'May as well make myself comfortable.'

Hiruzen placed his pipe down in a tray. Whatever she had to say was going to be something of note, and he would prefer to not be sent to the hospital because he somehow choked on his pipe. "Go on."

"Well," the blonde combed a hand through her unruly hair. She really need to grow it out and let gravity tame it. "I take it you recall what Inoichi-san told you, about Orochimaru being your killer. Yes?"

Hiruzen stiffened before giving a small nod. "… That is correct. He did not reveal when or how it happened, however. In the report, it is simply stated that my killer is to be Orochimaru."

A slight frown formed on Naruto's features. "Yeah, sorry, I still can't give you any useful details for obvious reasons. But don't worry, I won't let the possibility of death loom over you. It doesn't happen for at least another year and a half." She shook her head. "Not that I'll let you die anyway. But that's not the point. I need you to give Namikaze Fuuko as many A and S-Rank missions, preferably ones that take place outside of Konoha… Near Kiri, Kumo, and Iwa. Maybe a few near Suna as well. Any assassination missions on their shinobi are a no-go, but essentially anything else is perfectly fine."

Hiruzen's eyes widened. "Naru-chan, do you realize how dangerous that would be? Especially near Kumo and Iwa; they don't particularly have a… Pleasant past with your father."

"I know Jijii," she smiled though her eyes did not meet his. "… But this is important."

A small silence drifted between the two before Hiruzen spoke again. "… Can I ask why you refuse any assassination missions?" His eyes narrowed. "Have you not yet had your first kill?"

Naruto shook her head vehemently, taken aback by the Sandaime's mix of worry and pity. "I have! I-I have definitely… I have." She snorted. "It's not anything to brag about, but my hands might even be one of the bloodiest pairs in Konoha, at the moment…"

'Had I really though?' She thought mindlessly. Yes, she had bloodied her hands, stained with the blood of those who resisted after the war had ended. But that was all in the Genjutsu. The reality was that the war hadn't ended in their favor, and everyone died. She had taken assassination missions in the Genjutsu and demolished any remaining forces and supporters of Madara's with her own two hands before she took the title of Hokage.

But even then, she wasn't fazed too much. No, what mattered to her was the fact that she was the killer of all of her precious people because she had failed them. She had allowed them to fall to the Eternal Tsukuyomi and failed to bring down Kaguya. So yes, she had killed. And in the worst way possible, too.

Hiruzen sent her a sympathetic look, which she caught. She groaned. "Ugh. I digress. The reason why I refuse any assassination missions is because it would only create stronger animosity between Konoha and the other shinobi villages. I can't say much, but what I can say is that we need to form strong alliances with the other major villages if we want to even stand a _chance _against the one I am hunting."

"Orochimaru?" The Hokage choked out. Was his student truly so far-gone?

"No," Naruto grit her teeth. "Even _worse_ than Orochimaru, if you can believe that. Though he has not committed as many atrocities… He is responsible for the death of all of my loved ones." She pressed a finger to her temple and closed her eyes.

"… He is the instigator of their deaths. But I was the one who failed them. Failed to protect them."

Hiruzen stared at the young girl in front of him. "…. Who? Who is the one who did this?"

Naruto remained silent, contemplating whether or not she should tell him. After a minute she reached a decision and pinned the Hokage with a steely gaze. "You must not tell _anyone_ about this. Should his name begin to circulate, he will become cautious. And he will eventually trace it back to _me_. He is a cunning, wary man, with an eternity on his hands. If he caught wind of my interference, he would surely go into hiding until I died…. Or kill me off himself. It would be a waiting game, one that he would win."

She breathed in before muttering the cursed name. "… Uchiha Madara."

Hiruzen's eyes widened and his hands curled into tight fists. "But… No… He can't be alive. He was killed at—"

"He wasn't," Naruto interrupted. "… Though, you may be right about him being dead _now_. In fact, I'm certain the bastard is dead."

At this, the Hokage's face contorted in confusion. "… I'm not quite sure I follow."

"He has an accomplice. Another Uchiha who was supposed to be dead. Another Uchiha who is, currently, working behind the scenes as 'Uchiha Madara,' and the one I am worried about catching wind of my interference. He is as much a threat as Madara himself, even with the… limitation of seeing from one perspective."

"Another Uchiha who was supposed to be dead…. 'a single perspective'?" Hiruzen grumbled. His eyes widened in realization. "… No… You don't mean…?"

Naruto held her head in her right hand, elbow positioned on her knee. "It depends on who it is that you're thinking about." She was truly curious to see if Hiruzen came to the right conclusion.

"An Uchiha with a 'single perspective'; perhaps only one eye? If that's the case, there was—is only one Uchiha that could match that description… Minato's student… Obito…?"

Naruto nodded, and Hiruzen fell into his real age, as though winded from a powerful blow. He appeared weary and his usually powerful countenance was not apparent. He sat back in his chair and stared at Naruto, eyes blank. The two were silent.

"…. So many," the Sandaime began, causing Naruto to look up. "So many that have gone astray. All under my watch, my care… How many times must I…?"

Naruto interrupted his dazed depression. "Jijii, it is not your fault. It is a fault of circumstance, and you were simply the unlucky one to be present throughout most of it."

Another momentary silence blanketed the room until Hiruzen regained himself. His eyes were serious and held threatening promise. "So, your plan?"

Naruto straightened immediately. "A little background information, first. Tobi—Obito's alias—is Madara's acting replacement as I mentioned. He is the leader in the shadows of the Akatsuki, a criminal organization of S-Ranked criminals. Tobi plans on reviving Madara utilizing the Rinnegan they hold in their grasp. But first, Tobi's current task is to collect all of the tailed beasts: Ichibi, Nibi, all the way up to the Kyuubi—the one sealed within me."

"Why? Why is he collecting tailed beasts? Is he seeking power?" Hiruzen questioned.

"Well… In a way, yes. It isn't strictly power that he seeks however, he seeks the power of the tailed beasts combined into one, so that he could assume the role of a pseudo god."

Hiruzen raised a single eyebrow. "God? How do the tailed beasts play into such a plan? They are powerful, but a God…"

"More background information," Naruto resumed her previous explanation. "All of the tailed beasts were once a single beast—the Juubi. The Juubi was the main key for Madara to complete his plan, his mission: Tsuki no Me, the Eye of the Moon Plan. Madara wished to place the entire world in an Eternal Tsukuyomi where all living beings would integrate into one mind, one will." She scoffed. "It was all in the name of peace, according to him. He wished to become a God."

"That is why, no matter what, we cannot let Tobi and Madara gain control of all of the tailed beasts. If they manage to gather all of them, the Juubi will be resurrected, and it's all downhill from there." She sat back in her chair and crossed her fingers. "Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, was the Jinchuuriki of the Sanbi and I am certain he is already dead—or under the control of Tobi. Either way, he is already a lost cause. Fu of Takigakure was the Jinchuuriki of the Nanabi and is already dead. Han of Iwagakure was the Jinchuuriki of the Gobi and is also dead. While the Sanbi is not yet in the hands of the Akatsuki, the other two are. Yugito Nii, Roshi, and Utakata, the Jinchuuriki of Nibi, Yonbi, and Rokubi respectively, are all alive and well, at the moment. Each will eventually be captured by the Akatsuki, in said order, after I come back from my training trip with Jiraiya." She looked up at the Hokage. "That was in the report as well, correct? My training with Jiraiya?"

Hiruzen struggled to comprehend all of the information thrown at him. He had many questions, but suddenly he found he was unable to voice any of them. He simply nodded in affirmation to Naruto's own.

"… Actually, I forgot something," she began. "One of the first Jinchuuriki to face death is Sabaku no Gaara, the Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi… And the future Kazekage."

The Sandaime could sense the sadness and turmoil in her voice at the statement. The Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi, and the future Kazekage… He recalled the report Inoichi had given him, how the boy was lying in the grass, dead, with Naruto screaming in agony at the loss of a friend.

"That reminds me," Naruto's eyes widened. "The first mission for Fuuko. I need it to be one that takes place near Suna, I have a few things to do."

"The Suna Jinchuuriki?" Hiruzen questioned. Naruto nodded and he began writing a note.

"Take this," he handed the note to Naruto, "to the missions desk, and you will be given a mission of your choosing." She sent him a grateful smile as she tucked the paper away into her flack jacket pocket.

"Anyway back to the topic," Naruto coughed, "what I need is for Namikaze Fuuko to gain a reputation, along with Uzumaki Naruto. I, Naruto, need to gain a reputation of strength so that Tobi will think to go after me first out of the rest of the Jinchuuriki. 'I should go after that one before he becomes too strong,' that is thought I hope to instill in the man's mind. Fuuko will act as a deterrent for the Akatsuki, hopefully giving them the idea that she needs to be dealt with first before they act on Naruto or Konoha. I know I will be able to hold my own against Tobi at this point and I have need to speak with him anyway. I just want to try and minimize casualties. Alas, some of the Jinchuuriki may have to die anyway—Roshi, Han and Yugito, being three prime examples. Even if my little distraction works, I still have Konoha behind me. I may prove to be more trouble than I am worth at this point, and Jinchuuriki without connections to a village would be the prime targets to the Akatsuki. Yugito is almost constantly away from Kumo, which is probably why she was one of the first handful to be caught." She shrugged." I don't know, honestly, it depends on when my opportunity to strike down Tobi arises; I am not certain that he will show his face until after their deaths. Once I, Naruto, graduate, and am placed on Kakashi-sensei's team, I need to draw sufficient attention to myself and Fuuko. It's a little unstable, but it is the most flexible plan if changes need to be made. 'Let the enemy come find _me_.'"

Naruto glanced at the man sitting across from her and gave a small smile. "The reason for me stressing friendship with the other villages… Forming alliances with the foreign nations is not simply an intimidation tactic, we truly need to strengthen ties with the other major shinobi villages. The only way we can defeat Madara and protect our citizens is by working together." She gave a light snort. "The ultimate test of teamwork, no? Just placed on a much, _much_ larger scale than usual."

The Sandaime nodded slowly, digesting all of the information thrown at him. "I see. So I assume that, aside from me giving you to the specified A and S-Rank missions, everything is handled and under control?"

A small part of Naruto chided the Hokage's trust in her; he was the leader of a shinobi village, and yet, he was so willing to give her free reign? To allow her to do as she saw fit? She had proven that she was indeed Uzumaki Naruto, and that she was not a threat to Konoha. That did not mean that he could or should place such unadulterated trust in her in regards to the safety of the entire shinobi world. Of course, she was entirely grateful that he was so trusting. The freedom he gave her was optimal for her plans, and she honestly wouldn't have been able to do much without his aide. It was just… Odd. Not just in principle either, and not just because she was technically eleven years old physically. Though, that _did_ effect her outlook on the matter slightly.

With a small shake of her head, she snapped herself out of her musings. "Yes."

Hiruzen looked thoughtful. "Can you humor me with an answer to one question?"

Naruto cocked her head and pursed her lips. "… That depends on what it is."

"Why go through the trouble of keeping the integrity of the "timeline" as you know it? You likely have as much information on our enemies as needed. This may be the past to you, but with your arrival we have already diverged from the world you knew. Why not just change everything you can, without the need for tiptoeing around?"

Naruto gave a wry smile. "Because, I have long since learned that I can't always be reckless. Sure, I have a vast knowledge of the enemy, a large repertoire of techniques. But why discard my other trump card, the knowledge of major events? Some key events will happen regardless, that much I am certain of. But the dates can change, there is a possibility of even more people dying, and I cannot take that chance. I refuse to. There will be some necessary sacrifices, but those sacrifices will not be lives. Not if I can help it."

Silence fell between the two as Hiruzen considered her words.

"… You've changed, Naruto."

It was left open-ended but Naruto couldn't help but add, 'I'm disappointed' to the end of his statement. Her right hand clenched into a fist and she placed it firmly over her heart. "This," she glanced to the fist on her chest, indicating her heart. "… tends to die a little every time you see someone important die, Jijii. You know that, I know that. So what do you think happens when you wake up to find that everyone is gone?"

He eyes drifted to the floor and her head hung slightly. "… Such a nightmare is bound to change anyone."

* * *

"Chikage Bunshin no Jutsu," she whispered. A single clone poofed into existence and stared at it's creator.

"You are going to be here for the next week as 'Uzumaki Naruto'," she stated as she henge'd into 'Fuuko'. "When you notice that your chakra is running low, you have my permission to gather nature chakra. But _only_ if you cannot do without it. And not too much, don't even _think_ about attempting Sage Mode."

The clone nodded.

"Oh, and you are to _refrain_ from training. Understand?"

The clone shot her a horrified look. "… Wait, but boss! What am I supposed to do for a whole week then? What do I do?"

Fuuko bit her lip. It was kinda pathetic that training had become such a large part of her life, in all honesty. "Just… Just walk around the town. Enjoy the fact that you're no longer the last person on the face of the earth. Make friends, talk to Iruka-sensei, attend the Academy, poke the broody-boy, try and get Sakura to not be a banshee, prank the fangirls, _hell_ I don't know. Just make friends."

The clone cocked her head to the side. "Wouldn't that ruin the timeline's stability though? If I were to make friends, that would interfere right? I mean, there are key events that have to do with some of my friendships, and if I befriend them early…"

A palm instinctively flew to Fuuko's face and she groaned. Was she really so uncertain about all of this? She opened her mouth to explain that, even if she was uncertain, she came back for a reason and shunning her friends wouldn't help—but was promptly cut off, because the clone started laughing. _Laughing_. Her damned clone actually had the nerve to jokingly question her, and Fuuko _believed_ it.

She sent a threatening glare to the clone. "You're an ass."

"Hey, I'm only doing what you would've done in my place," the clone riposted with her arms held up in a placating manner, "And you should probably stop talking to yourself. Your sanity is already questionable as it is."

Fuuko's mouth opened and closed a few times before she settled for pinching the bridge of her nose to try and alleviate the makings of her migraine. "… I really need to socialize more."

The clone nodded sagely. "Yes, you really do."

Fuuko rolled her eyes and turned to the door. She picked up her mask and the scroll she had packed earlier with her essentials, and disappeared in a gold-and-black flash. When she reached the main gate of the village, she sighed.

'Mutiny.'

* * *

"Naruto!"

The clone's head shot up, drool on the side of her mouth and eyes dazed. She quickly wiped away the evidence of sleep and stared at the one who addressed her.

"… Eh? Yes Iruka-sensei?"

Snickers and insults could be heard. A vein on Iruka's forehead was visible and he cleared his throat. "Answer the question. What are Tenketsu, and how are they related to chakra?"

He looked expectantly at Naruto, eyes boring into her skull. She kicked her legs up onto the desk and rested her arms behind her head, supporting the weight. She took a (dramatic)gulp of air.

"Tenketsu, or 'Chakra Points,' are nodes from which chakra can be released. There are three-hundred and sixty-one total tenketsu in the body, each one being a checkpoint on the Chakra Pathway System. The Chakra Pathway System is the term for the channels within the body through which our chakra is transferred from point to point. Tenketsu points are important because they release chakra throughout the body and out, influencing each and every cell in out bodies." She crossed her arms and blew a stray golden lock from her face. She absently noted that she would need to use a henge soon. "Simply put, the two together are like a water system with multiple release points, a river with distributaries. The ecosystem relies on these distributaries, and should they be blocked off, certain parts of the ecosystem would be unable to function properly, because the natural flow is disturbed."

A still silence fell and Naruto could see the shocked stares of everyone in the room.

Ino and Sakura didn't even realize that their jaws were hanging. Shikamaru's eyes widened before narrowing, and the boy had a suspicious glint in his eyes. Chouji stopped eating. Kiba and Akamaru looked confused—Akamaru seemed to be trying to discern whether or not she was really Naruto. Hinata's eyes widened before she settled into a small smile. Sasuke's eyes were wide and he probably didn't realize that he was gaping slightly. Shino's eyebrows seemed to disappear beyond his hairline.

A few seconds passed and Naruto started to worry that everyone was shocked to death, but then she waved away the worry. It was still a little disconcerting, though.

Iruka was the first individual in the classroom to recover. "Uh… Er, yes, that is correct Naruto. Thank you for the analogy, as well."

Naruto gave a foxy smirk. "Of course, Iruka-sensei."

* * *

After years of age, maturing, handling diplomatic matters, and reigning in her natural reactions, she had become a master of holding her tongue and weaving words. Moulding them to placate her opponents, but not without the smallest hint of hidden venom. She became a common diplomat's worst nightmare with her innate ability to quickly and easily direct conversations into her playing field, all in her favor. Once she was added to the grand scheme, everything was over for her opponents.

Years of solitude well-after the fact had made her accustomed to not speaking at all, and yelling out-loud as her younger counterpart would've done was a habit gone to the wayside. All in all, she had become a rather calculating and quiet individual…. Or so she thought.

It was hot. Horrendously so.

Turned out that _that_ was all she needed to revert to her old habits, as she was, currently, cursing out the sun and the shifting sands with vim and vigor. Colourful expletives, loud, booming voice, killing intent and all.

'… **Kit.' **Kurama groused, beyond irate from half an hour of unrelenting yelling from his tetchy container. **'For the last time, shut the FUCK up.'**

"NO!" Naruto spat back(she had dropped her henge when she was several miles out from Konoha). "I KNOW I'm wasting energy, I KNOW I should PROBABLY SHUT UP, but my chakra reserves are boiling from unspent energy AND DAMN IT, I WISH THE SUN WOULD STOP BEING SO SUNNY 'TTEBAYO!" The verbal tick was another supposedly-discarded-trait that had resurfaced, apparently.

'**Then TRAIN,'** Kurama growled. **'Work on Suiton or something, use your unspent energy in a useful way. I'm tired of hearing your petulant WHINING, you **_**insufferable BRAT**_**.'**

After a few tense moments, Naruto's sense came crashing back to earth at the reasonable suggestion. She chuckled awkwardly as a light-red tinted her cheeks. "… Heh, I guess that's a good idea…."

She started channeling her chakra, trying to draw in the sparse flecks of moisture in the arid desert atmosphere. She could feel the inspiration for a new technique forming.

'**You're-fucking-welcome.'**

...

By the time Naruto reached Suna, she was exhausted. It had only taken her about 43 hours travel time—she ran at least half of the way—but she had been training for most of the way. At the very least, she had managed to stretch out her chakra reserves further, and her mastery over wind and water affinities increased.

Her newest Jutsu was a combination of the two. She did not have a name for it, but it was useful as _heck_ for desert weather. It was a form of her wind chakra mode/cloak. She coated herself in a wind and water-based cloak, and adjusted the temperature to one that was comfortable for her. It was like traveling with her own biome, and it was _awesome_.

Misuse of high-leveled Jutsu aside, she had made it to Suna and henge'd herself with longer hair in pigtails, and with an absence of her peculiar whisker-mark characteristic. It was easy enough to slip through the security of Suna and blend in as a normal citizen; she would have to inform future-Gaara of the south-eastern wall's lack of proper defense.

Naruto made her way through the town to a homely inn for a place to stay. It was frightful how affordable it was, the economic decline was apparent.

She settled herself into her room—it was going to be her home for the next four nights after all—and sat on her bed, looking at the darkened desert sky. At the very least, she could give the desert that: it's sunsets and night-time view were beautiful. Billions of light sources littering the sky in an artistically uneven yet balanced manner, differing levels of brightness and slightly different hues.

She absently wondered how her clone was doing.

* * *

Clone-Naruto was lying on top of the Hokage Monument, stargazing, wondering what the boss was doing.

She sighed. Making friends wasn't as easy as it was supposed to be… Or at least, how she remembered it. Earlier, she had tried to befriend Sakura and Ino, and that ended terribly.

The former snubbed her after sneering, leaving Naruto confused—until she remembered that she had once pretended to have a crush on the pinkette. When _that_ lightbulb had turned on, she made an utterly disgusted face—which Ino noticed, and reciprocated. The Yamanaka must have thought it was aimed at them, not at Naruto's younger-self's old habits. She had tried to explain, and when the two girls waited for said explanation expectantly, she found that no words came out. She couldn't tell them that she was from the future where they were close friends and that she was living her childhood all over again. One-way ticket to T&amp;I? No thanks.

Instead, she opted to say, "Sorry, I'm not good at this." It was the honest truth, and she could swear she saw a flicker of understanding in their eyes.

That was, until Kiba opened his fucking mouth. "You suck at picking up girls, Naruto-baka!"

At this exclamation, Ino and Sakura immediately went on the defensive and glared at Naruto. Apparently, they had believed that Naruto was dared or something to try and 'pick up' Ino and Sakura. Really Kiba, really?

At that point, the two had stormed out of the classroom and Naruto left not five seconds later, out of a classroom of stunned students and a thoroughly beaten-up Kiba.

She smiled. Prior to that, though, she _had_ befriended the mutt. It was the whole reason why he was even acting in such a familiar way, to be honest. Similar to how it went down in the past, the two had bonded through pranks. Kiba was still the (bigger)idiot between the two, but thanks to Naruto's wit they had pulled off a rather nefarious prank on Mizuki.

The once-blue-haired man would be a hot-pink-ette for the next week or so.

Suddenly, she detected a presence nearby and tensed. At first she did not recognize it and could not tell if it was a muted presence or truly that small, but once she identified it she relaxed. It was one she recognized, and it was not hostile in the slightest—the "source" would probably opt to lie down and sleep before attacking her. The chakra signature approached her until it stood but a yard away from where she lay.

"… Whaddya want, Shika?" She asked plainly. She was truly curious, however; Naruto hadn't expected the notoriously lazy Nara to approach her.

She saw him shrug as he walked closer. "Nothing, really." She raised a single eyebrow at this but inwardly shrugged off the nagging questions that arose through curiosity.

He sat down next to her and the two were silent, watching the stars. Until Naruto snickered, which earned her a skeptical glance from Shikamaru.

"… You don't find this as entertaining as cloud watching, do you?" She questioned, shoulders still with a slight tremble due to her snickering.

Shikamaru snorted. "Not really."

Oh, Shikamaru, he never changed. While it was amusing and nostalgic, however, Naruto realized something that she tended to realize each time she spoke with the Nara heir. The conversation was going nowhere. She bolted up and stretched, feeling her clone-body realign itself after being sedentary for hours. "Well, how about a game of Shogi sometime?"

She watched as Shikamaru's eyes shone like stars and she struggled to not burst into uncontrollable laughter. He immediately schooled his enthusiasm when he noticed her tell-tale trembling.

"Are you any good? Wanna have a match now?" He inquired.

Naruto smirked. "I guess we'll see? But I'll have to take a rain check on that. It's pretty late, and you have Academy tomorrow."

Shikamaru raised a single eyebrow. "You have Academy too. You just choose to be absent."

Naruto shrugged and Shikamaru sighed. "How about after Academy tomorrow? Chouji can come too and the three of us will hang out."

"Hmm," Naruto tapped her chin, looking as though she were contemplating the idea. She already had her answer, though. "Mm, I dunno. Maybe if you treat both Chouji and I to Ichiraku's."

Shikamaru paled and slapped a hand to his face. A low "troublesome" could be heard.

The blonde smiled at her first reacquainted friend, happiness practically rolling off of her in waves.

* * *

In the morning, Naruto's eyes popped open. Not for the normal reasons, however; she had planned to allow her body to rest until late-morning because of her exhausted reserves. And yet, she woke up at 8am, and that was not what she had planned. She had wanted to give her body at least 10 hours of rest this time.

She usually woke to the sound of her alarm clock or whatever internal clock she had set, but this time was not the same. No, this time she woke up to a frightful sound. Screaming.

She immediately leapt out of bed and cast her henge over herself before leaving. A quick inventory check and she out of the window headed towards the screaming, already knowing the source—the cause—of the racket. The chakra signature was one that she would never forget, and Kurama seemed to agree(if his bristling was indication enough).

Naruto neared the location with narrowed eyes and her heart clenched as she felt the insidious yet familiar chakra signature of her friend.

"—Monster! Run away, it will kill us all!"

The blonde watched as civilians ran away, panic and fear in their every movement and gesture. Her running slowed down and she pushed against the raging crowd, her heart rate steadily increasing. Her breathing was carefully controlled but her mind was in a state of distress. Memories of the red head she battled against, battled alongside, befriended, came to know as family; the memories threatened to push past her mental barrier. The crowd had dispersed entirely and Naruto was but 5 meters away from a young boy on the ground, bleeding and beaten.

"Child." Her words caused the young boy to flinch. He turned to her, eyes wide and watering. "Run."

She didn't need to repeat herself. The boy ran off past Naruto, away from the 'monster' that had almost ended his life. Her eyes drifted back to the only other person in the vicinity and locked with virescent aquamarine.

Gaara.

The red-head's face was contorted in a malicious grin, his eyes bloodshot and dead. "You let mother's prey escape," he hissed. The grin did not fade.

Naruto cocked her head to the side.

"**YOU** WILL BE **A** DECENT **REPLACEMENT**."

Naruto had barely a second to note that Shukaku's own voice bled through Gaara's before his sand was upon her, ready to tear her apart limb-from-limb. But when the sand was but a few inches from her, it stopped. It was trembling, as though trying to attack, trying to tear into Naruto's body and turn her into a bloodied mess. But it didn't.

She relaxed with a slightly weary sigh. Her theory was correct.

Prior to arriving in sand, heck, prior to arriving in the past, she had created an S-Ranked seal—a Bijuu suppressor. It's purpose was with the Juubi in mind, truth be told. It was a precursor towards her more powerful seal, one that would separate the Juubi into multiple fragments once again, but she never had the chance to test it out. She couldn't risk awakening Kaguya, and interfering with the Juubi was certain to do so.

The way the Bijuu suppressor seal worked was it froze and absorbed Bijuu chakra and purged it of the malicious killing intent, converting it to useable chakra. Powerful and all, but she didn't know if it would work this time around. Not that Shukaku was a supremely-powerful foe that it would fail against; the Ichibi was but a fragment of the Juubi, and while she was uncertain if her seal would work against the Juubi, she was more than certain that it would work against a single tailed beast.

The gamble in what she had done was that she never knew whether or not Gaara ever had control of his sand while under Shukaku's influence. If Gaara's had an _ounce_ of will, his own will to see her dead, then it would not work. The sand controlled by Gaara would have proceeded to skewer her, Bijuu suppressor seal be damned.

She looked at the red-head and smiled. This meant that, should Shukaku's malignant feelings be purged, Gaara would have little to no problem with adjusting back to some semblance of a normal life. Her focus was brought back to the real world when Gaara's strained voice broke through her thoughts.

"… Who are you?" Naruto looked at Gaara—actually looked. She noted the look of horror and shock that marred his face and frowned. She was used to stone-faced Gaara or the small and rare smiles he used to grace her. She found that she missed those minuscule smiles with a fervent passion.

She walked up to Gaara, golden pigtails swaying with each movement. Gaara flinched back in defense, prepared for an attack. When she was at arms reach, she held out her hand and smiled a true smile, a smile she hadn't felt in many, many years. A smile that she graced all of her friends when she saw them, a smile that showed her love and care for the bonds she had formed. Bonds that she would need to reforge from scratch, because almost no one _she_ loved existed here. She didn't like the fact that, to these people, she was just another nameless face. They didn't know Uzumaki Naruto and they would never know her, not the way _her_ precious people knew her, not in the way that mattered.

The words that she spoke next acted as poisoned spears to her already bruised heart.

"Hi! My name is Fuuko, what is your name?"

* * *

Boring. Boring, boring boring BORING.

That was all she had to say about Academy.

Actually, she did have something else to say about it: it was worse than paperwork.

Yeah, she said it, it was WORSE THAN PAPERWORK. Paperwork, the rumored 'biggest enemy' of Kage. Even sitting in her office and doing paperwork(or rather, boss would make a bunch of us clones to alleviate the load) seemed like it would've been less boring than sitting in the classroom, waiting for lunch to come around. At least she could openly bitch and moan about it as she wanted; she would get detention for disrupting the class.

Pfft. It was an odd irony to think of a trained-Hokage being put in detention.

But seriously. It was painfully boring. Maybe, just maybe, if she didn't already know everything being taught, she might've found it fun. Just a little. After all, she had learned how to enjoy studying and absorbing knowledge, courtesy of years of Fuuinjutsu practice and Sakura and Tsunade beating her over the head with knowledge required for Hokage candidates. But no, she knew all of this. It was all so, so simple, and Naruto could only wish that she had decided to just stay home for the day. It wasn't as if she had to come that day either; there weren't any tests or quizzes that were being given out.

Suddenly, Iruka's lecture in the Shinobi Rules was interrupted—thank god, Naruto couldn't help but think, she wouldn't have been able to last another minute listening to those stupid rules—and he was led out of the classroom by a young woman that Naruto recognized as another teacher. Words about, "Hokage" and "meeting" were heard and the two left after Iruka called out self-study.

Immediately, Sasuke was beset by a crowd of loud fangirls and Naruto-clone couldn't help but snicker at her soon-to-be teammate's rather obvious displeasure. Obvious to her, at least; a twitch of the eye and tightening of the fists meant only the most severe of emotions in Uchiha-speak. She decided to ignore her unfortunate friend and instead opted to sit by the now-empty seats behind Shikamaru and Chouji. She poked the two to get their attention.

"Yo," she stated with a small wave. "What're you two gonna do with the 'self-study'?"

Shikamaru shrugged and Chouji looked between Naruto and his bag of chips. She snorted. "You two could pass the 'Uchiha-body-language' test with that reply."

She watched as Chouji choked on a chip and Shikamaru smirked. "That's right. Forgot to tell you, Chouji, but Naruto's coming over today." He pointed a thumb in Naruto's general direction as he spoke to his long-time best friend. "We're gonna have a Shogi match."

Chouji lifted an eyebrow and gave an uncertain look in Naruto's direction, causing her to smile. "That's not nice Chouji, just because I don't _look_ like it doesn't mean that I will suck horribly at Shogi, dattebayo." She leaned over and delivered a light flick to the Akimichi heir's forehead, causing him to scowl slightly. "You of all people should know that looks can be deceiving, ne?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened(was that panic?) and Chouji's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

In the past—well, the future past, Naruto had come to know the Akimichi heir rather well. Especially in the Genjutsu… But, even though most of what she had learned was in the Genjutsu, some things about Chouji only seemed to make sense.

In her past, the boy was sharp. More so than what people gave him credit for. It made sense, actually; he and Shikamaru were best friends. He wasn't near a Nara's standard for genius, but he was certainly sharper than what other people perceived him as. It was definitely one of the reasons why he and Shikamaru got along so well, and they were both like protective older brothers of Ino. Both cunning, one a born genius that could counter almost any strategy, the other with the physical abilities and quick thinking to adapt to a change of strategy, allowing him to keep up with Shikamaru's schemes. A 'dashing duo' she had called them once, to their shock, and Ino's horror. She had never seen so many frown lines on the platinum blonde's face.

If anything, Chouji's only true weakness was the fact that he was extremely defensive of his weight and appearance. As he grew older and people realized just how formidable and how much of a powerhouse he was, the insults naturally died off. Still, Naruto was slightly disappointed in herself for never noticing the inner turmoil the boy had about his appearance, not until he was well past that stage. Even though she was still somewhat late, she would at the very least make the Akimichi heir realize just how powerful he truly was, and kill off those remaining insecurities he still had at this age.

...

Chouji took another handful of chips and continued scrutinizing Naruto as he lost himself in his thoughts.

Shikamaru had said that Naruto was cool, but Chouji wasn't certain where to place the blonde. Not yet.

There were the normal people who didn't pay much attention to Chouji, they didn't bother him at all. There were the _annoying_ groups that would pester him and make fun of his weight, saying that he would never make it as a shinobi. Those people grated on Chouji's nerves, and he wished they would just go away. Sometimes there were some who were more discreet about it, but Chouji knew better. He could see the side-glances and the pitying expressions, the ones that thought he would get himself killed because of his weight. They viewed him and his weight as a disadvantage. Then, there were the rare few who understood him and accepted him as a friend. Shikamaru was one of them, Kiba and Ino were kinda like that… But where did that put Naruto? The weird blonde boy that seemed to want attention and praise not long ago, who suddenly became quiet and reflective. Also stopped coming to the Academy, and for whatever reason, Iruka didn't chase him down for it. It was weird.

After Naruto stated, "you of all people should know that looks can be deceiving, ne?" Chouji felt the urge to write that statement off as a coincidence. But maybe Naruto understood? Maybe he would be someone like Shika? Maybe he _really_ understood? Maybe Naruto belonged in the understanding group, and not the first one. Maybe, just maybe, they could be friends.

"What do you mean by that?" He decided to question. It couldn't hurt to ask, and if Shika decided to place his trust in the weird blonde, then Chouji could spare his own too. At least, until the blonde did something he didn't like. If that happened, he knew Shika would defend _him_ over Naruto, anyway.

He watched as Naruto smiled—he couldn't tell if it was malicious or kind, so he instinctively coiled, preparing for an insult. "Tell me, Chouji. Why do _you_ think you eat so much?"

Chouji's brows furrowed. Was this a ploy? Was Naruto trying to get him to say something so he could retort with an insult? He spoke carefully and slow. "… Because food is good?"

Naruto laughed, and Chouji scowled. He was certain Naruto was gonna insult him. "Of course food is good! But let me tell you this much: while you're right, you're also wrong."

The Akimichi heir allowed confusion to show on his face. What the hell was the blonde-weirdo playing at? He glanced at Shika, who was smiling. Why was he smiling?

"Chouji, your dad was—_is,_ an amazing Shinobi." Chouji spun back to Naruto, eyes wide. It wasn't often that people praised his father for being an amazing Shinobi; he was even bigger than Chouji. Naruto seemed amused by his shock and he quickly replaced the expression with a carefully blank look, one he realized made him look more constipated than blank. "His Baika no Jutsu is amazing, 'ttebayo! I don't claim to know much about your family's Hiden, but most physically-altering Jutsu are classed as A and S-Rank because they prove to be extremely dangerous. The way that your family utilizes your physical composition and metabolism is freakishly awesome, and it also serves as a way to get your foes to underestimate you guys."

Chouji felt a small smile form on his face. He remembered how Shikamaru, Shikaku, and his own dad would say similar things, but it was odd hearing them from someone outside of the Ino-Shika-Cho… A classmate his age. Naruto reciprocated the smile.

"Chouji, am I right to assume that your weight is a delicate matter for you?"

Immediately his smile vanished, and he stared warily at Naruto. The barrier was up again; he didn't know what Naruto was planning. However, he saw that Naruto's smile did not waver, and there seemed to be no ill-intent in the blonde's smile. Chouji gave a hesitant nod after looking away, not wanting Naruto to see the conflicting emotions no doubt waging war in his eyes.

He was shocked when he felt a hand pat his shoulder, and he looked up at Naruto who gave him a reassuring look. The blonde's face was set in an eerily serious countenance, completely different from his usual shining and boisterous attitude.

"Look, like I said, I don't know much about your family's Hiden, but I am certain that you wouldn't be able to perform the Baika no Jutsu without harming yourself if you were stick thin. I mean," he gestured to the gaggle of fangirls hovering around Sasuke, "can you imagine any of those stick-thin harpies successfully performing it? They'd probably die from the strain. Your size is your strength, Chouji, not a detriment. Don't let other people tell you otherwise."

The blonde sat back in his seat and punched the inside of his hand with his right fist in a threatening manner. A mischievous grin formed on his face. "If they do, show 'em a little of the Akimichi strength. I dare you, dattebayo."

Chouji looked at Shikamaru, who gave him a mirthful smile. He_ knew_. Chouji laughed—truly laughed. And what a surprise, it was on the topic that he was most sensitive about. He looked at Naruto and gave the biggest smile he had ever felt cross his face.

"Thanks, Naruto."

He thought he saw a flicker of sorrow form on his newest friend's face, but it was immediately replaced with a grin. Chouji was glad that he decided to give the blonde his tentative trust, because now, the blonde had his full trust—and his friendship.

* * *

Sand swirled by their feet as she held her hand out. Gaara simply stared at the offered appendage, seemingly wondering why said appendage was still attached to her.

He looked back up to her and his eyes narrowed slightly. He did not take her hand. "… Sabaku no Gaara."

The temporarily-dubbed 'Fuuko' allowed her arm to fall back to her sides with a shrug. "Nice to meet you, Gaa-"

"Why won't my sand attack you? Why are you still alive?"

His cold tone caused Fuuko to falter ever so slightly, but she recovered. "Uh… I don't know?" She shrugged off the questions. "Hey, do you wanna hang out? I'm kinda new here, and I'll probably get lost easily…"

No reply. Naruto heaved a small sigh within her mind, trying to stave off the memories that threatened to surface.

She grabbed his hand, ignoring his immediate tensing. "Let's just go!"

Fuuko started walking in a random direction, dragging the Ichibi Jinchuuriki behind her while chattering uselessly. She inwardly groaned.

This was going to take a while.

...

For the past thirty or so minutes, Gaara allowed himself to be pulled around by the strange blonde girl attached to his wrist.

She was strange, to say the least.

Physically, she looked to be no older than Gaara himself, maybe even younger. Her long, golden hair looked brighter than the sun, and her strangely blue eyes looked clearer than water. Her emotions were plain as day.

Which is why Gaara was at such a loss.

When she walked up to him, there was not even an ounce of fear in those eyes. Most people froze in fear simply by seeing him, even if he was not on his near-daily killing sprees. That was evident by the fearful yet confused glances the two of them were getting at the moment; they must've been wondering, 'why hasn't he killed the girl?'

It was a question he wanted the answer to as well. Why hadn't his sand killed her? Did mother not want this girl dead?

No, that wasn't right. Mother had wanted the strange girl's blood. Mother wanted it, _yearned_ for it. As soon as Gaara had laid eyes on the strange girl, his mother had howled and screamed, commanding him to send his sand in her direction. Forcing him to wrench his attention away from his original prey, to focus on the newcomer. And to make _her blood spill_. But as soon as he had let loose his sand, it stopped. It didn't kill the girl, it _stopped_. He could still feel the _immense urge_ to colour the streets in the girl's blood, but his sand _would not obey_. And then… And then mother went silent.

No more whisperings, small promises, or commands to kill. Gaara felt unstable, yet… calm, ever since mother had gone quiet. He also felt a strange dread. The peace surely wouldn't last.

The strange girl did something even weirder and offered her hand after introducing herself. "Fuuko," she called herself.

She even asked him to "hang out." Wasn't that what friends did? He and the weird girl were not friends. He had no friends, he was a monster. Sabaku no Gaara, the monster.

And yet, the strange girl insisted that they "hang out." He could feel her increasing exhaustion, however; they had been wandering around Suna for the past half-hour and the drain was apparent.

He recalled that there was a park nearby. Children went there for fun, if he recalled correctly. Gaara stopped abruptly, deciding this was the way to get the strange girl's attention.

Well, it did, but instead of her stopping with him, his sudden halt caused her to face-plant into the dirt, her hand still gripping his own. He stared.

After a few moments of complete silence, she stood up and dusted herself off, not looking at him in the face. He noticed the distinct red colour blooming on the tips of her ears as she mumbled incoherently about "emotionally stunted brats" and "stone-faced idiots." He wondered what she meant.

She turned to him after a few moments, only a faint tint of red present on her cheeks, her face holding an indignant pout. "Why did you stop suddenly?" She questioned.

Gaara turned his head to the direction of the park he knew of. "… There is a park."

The two stood in a tense silence for a few moments. Gaara wondered about her sudden silence. She was loud and noisy just a few minutes ago, and suddenly she became strangely quiet. He turned back to her, wondering what was taking so long for her to comprehend the notion, and saw that her free hand was held over her mouth, her eyes glistening with an unidentifiable emotion. She made an odd squeak-ish noise.

Gaara simply stared at her, and that seemed to have caused her to lose her control. She broke out into a fit of giggles, startling the red-head slightly.

"You… You're so-! I can't breathe!" She struggled to speak through her laughter, and Gaara's brow furrowed. Why was she laughing?

"Ha… Sorry, sorry," she apologized, albeit unconvincingly. Something told Gaara that she was having fun. And it was at his expense. "Let's go, ne? Lead the way!"

For a few moments, Gaara stared at her, trying to find something—anything—that indicated that she was not serious. She only stared back at him expectantly, waiting for him to show her to the park. He gave a hesitant nod and began walking, mindlessly noting that her footfalls were slightly lighter than his.

* * *

Naruto-clone knocked on the large doors, chest heaving and eyes alight with excitement. In all honesty, the excitement hadn't hit her until she got home and fully reviewed the implications of what Shikamaru had done.

She was going to have her first playdate!

… Okay, that kinda put a damper on her spirits. She wasn't actually a child and that made her feel like some creepy old pervert with a defunct brain. But still, when she was this age, she had never hung out with her friends. Heck, she never had friends at this age. It was a nice change; going over to someone's house, deciding to hang out and be stupid together. Sure, she had done so in the Genjutsu. But… but it was a Genjutsu. And most of the time, they weren't as free or happy; many were for diplomacy's sake, and were a battle of words over stale tea. Ew. And prior to the Genjutsu, she didn't have time. She was constantly training to try and protect her loved ones, she never had the time to actually sit down and really _spend some time_ with her loved ones.

But here she was, happily anticipating her first ever informal gathering with her first two friends in this past.

The large doors of the Nara complex opened, revealing a Nara boy only slightly older than her. He cast her a lazy look. "Yes?"

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" She exclaimed happily. "I'm here for a dinner with Nara Shikamaru, his family, and the Akimichi heir?"

The Nara boy nodded his head and allowed her in, leading her to Shikamaru's house. She looked around the Nara estate; it wasn't nearly as large as the Hyuuga or Uchiha Compounds but it was still rather large in it's own right. There were a lot more people in the Nara clan than she would've figured, considering she had never seen another Nara prior to then. Or perhaps she just didn't pay close enough attention.

They arrived at Shikamaru's house and the Nara boy left, leaving Naruto to gather her courage. It was a worrying feeling, in all honesty. Shikaku had died along with Inoichi, leaving Chouza as the remaining member of the Sr. Ino-Shika-Cho formation. While she did not have a particularly strong bond with them, her friends did. Shikaku was Shikamaru's father, Inoichi was Ino's. She could still remember the grief that the two had repressed as they continued fighting in the war, and to say she didn't like it would be an understatement.

She breathed.

They were alive now, and the least changed from what she remembered. It would be difficult, but she had to grow a damned spine so she could actually protect them this time around.

The sound of a door opening brought her out of her musing. She was greeted by a pair of two onyx(that was a glimmer of amusement. It definitely was) eyes. "You gonna come in and say hi, or are you just gonna stay out here and be the Nara clan's new blonde statue?"

Naruto grinned at Shikamaru as she walked past him. "Don't mind me, then! Where's Chou?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "I don't think Chouji's gonna like that nickname. He's with Kaa-san, half-helping her make dinner, half-trying to get a few early bites."

"He'll deal." She grinned. "Wanna play Shogi while we wait?"

Shikamaru grinned back. "I'm not gonna go easy on you. Something tells me you can probably take it. Probably."

"Well, that 'something' is right."

...

Shikamaru gaped.

Chouji looked strangely at his best friend.

Naruto smirked deviously.

"…. I lost," Shikamaru stated quietly. Chouji's jaw immediately dropped and he scrambled over to the board, original task forgotten.

Naruto let out a yell of victory in her mind. In the future-past, and even in the Eternal Tsukuyomi, she had never been able to completely best the Nara genius. He was always making up new strategies and such, which made it difficult for her to adjust. She had beaten him a measly four times versus his three-hundred and counting wins.

In truth, she stole a few strategies from future-Shika in her match against her new friend, but it couldn't hurt, right?

"YOU ACTUALLY BEAT SHIKAMARU!" Chouji exclaimed at the top of his lungs, his disbelief evident in each syllable. Naruto laughed sheepishly.

Shikamaru began resetting the board and Naruto raised a single eyebrow. "Again."

"Whaaat?" Naruto whined. "That match took two hours! It's past eight, and we haven't even eaten dinner yet!"

Shikamaru shook his head. "Dinner can wait. We need to have another match, _now_."

Naruto groaned in exasperation. Sure, she liked playing Shogi against the genius; the feeling of winning against him was like no other(and she knew that her advantage over him would fade eventually). But she hadn't accounted for his obsession should she beat him after their first game in this particular point in time…

"Now, Shikamaru, your friend doesn't seem to be willing to play," the three students turned their heads and saw the Nara head and his wife walk up to them. "How about I have a match with you instead?"

Shikamaru groaned. "I don't want to have a match against _you_, though. It isn't fun to always lose."

"Well no one is getting a match right now anyway, dinner is ready." Yoshino walked past her husband to stare at the blonde and the board. She gave an appraising eye and whistled. "Wow, you really did beat him. No one has ever managed to beat our little Shika," she stated, clearly impressed.

"Dinner's ready, right?" Shikamaru ignored his mother's "little Shika" comment to the best of his ability and looked over to Naruto and Chouji. "Let's go."

The three boys filtered out of the room, followed by Yoshino. Shikaku's eyes lingered over the board for a second before he departed as well.

* * *

It was another hot and sunny day in Suna, and Fuuko had hunted down Gaara for another day to 'hang out', and they ended up getting a small rice treat. Gaara stared at his with a furrowed brow, wondering how he had ended up in this situation.

"Hey, Gaara," he noticed the lack of honorific and frowned. "What do you do on days that you don't have anything to do?"

He ignored her question. "Why do you call me that?" The strange girl had been calling him "Gaara" ever since they had first met, and it was unnerving to him. He didn't mind the absence of an honorific much; the begrudging "-sama" that some of his father's associates would address him by sometimes spurred his itch to kill. He didn't know why. Much like how he didn't know why the strange girl simply called him "Gaara," and why it didn't bother him in the slightest.

She turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What do you mean?"

He locked eyes with the blonde. "Gaara. You don't add an honorific like most people." 'And you don't call me a monster,' was the unspoken continuation.

She smiled. "Because you're my friend, silly." She went back to eating her food, not paying particular attention to the fact that Gaara's eyes were about twice as large as usual.

A friend. A friend? Yes, she said a friend. He was her friend? But they just met. Could they be friends even though they just met yesterday?

"But we just met yesterday."

She flinched before lowering her treat to her lap. She turned her head to him(though her eyes were on the ground in front of her) and spoke slowly. "… Perhaps… But it is possible for two people to become friends from the very moment they meet. I liked you, so I decided that you were my friend." At the last statement she let her eyes drift up to the cloudless sky and went back to enjoying her food.

She liked him? But why? Gaara's brow creased. Could they be friends if only she thought of him as one, and not the other way around?

'But do I not consider her a friend?' He looked at his own treat that Fuuko had gotten him earlier. 'What is a friend?' He inspected the odd confection for a moment before taking a small bite; he remembered Fuuko calling it 'dango'. It was sweet, but somewhat bland, like the rice it was made out of. 'A friend…'

A sharp, burning sensation snapped Gaara out of his reverie, and he fell to the ground, alerting Fuuko. His body instinctively lurched and he coughed, only worsening the burning sensation. His throat felt like it was on fire, a blazing inferno incinerating him from the inside out. He vaguely registered the feeling of Fuuko's hands patting his back before she retracted. Murmurs and whispers surrounded him, and the muddled sound of Fuuko's worried voice barely reached his ears.

And then, the world went very dark.

...

Naruto stared at the unconscious form of her red-headed friend.

'**Kit.' **Kurama spoke in a low tone.

She placed a single hand on his still back. He was still breathing, but he was eerily still. His chakra was dwindling and she could feel his chakra network fluctuating, even as it diminished. His nervous system was compromised, she could tell as much by the reactions. Gaara was poisoned. _Poisoned_.

'**Kit,'** Kurama called with more urgency.

Poisoned by the very people he had fought for, lived for, had once _sacrificed_ his _life_ for.

'**Kit! Calm down!'**

She breathed. 'I _am_ calm.'

'**No, you're not, look at the people around you!'**

She did as he said, and noticed the frightened bystanders that looked on at the spectacle. 'Oops,' she thought sardonically, a caustic tone in her thoughts. Apparently she had let loose some killing intent. Silently, she picked up her unconscious friend—he was light, far too light—and leveled a glare at no specific person.

"You people are sick," she spat out, causing some of the onlookers to flinch. "I bet you think this boy is the Ichibi. A monster. But did you know? If you had treated him like a human instead of a weapon, if someone had shown him love, no strings attached, he wouldn't have turned out as he has. He could've become the most _benevolent, loyal_ Suna shinobi ever to be born in this prison. And yet, you all continued to treat him as a weapon. He is a product of _your_ mistakes, _not his own_. _You_ are the ones who created a _monster_." She looked at Gaara, lowering the potency of her killing intent slightly. "… He is the victim of your prejudices, you foolish, _foolish__idiots_."

In a flicker of yellow and red, the two were gone.

...

She stood over her friend, staring worriedly at his unconscious form on the bed. Her hand was clenched tightly over his, trembling from nervousness and fear.

'Kurama, is he going to be okay?'

'**He'll be fine, kit. Shukaku is doing his job.'**

'But what if it isn't enough?' Naruto's thoughts were desperate. 'What if Gaara wasn't poisoned like this in the past? He had no reason to eat dango in the past. I pretty much forced him this time around, the _fool_ I was. What if Shukaku can't flush the poison out of his system? What if he can't neutralize it? What then?'

Kurama growled. **'Then speak to the damned demon. That was our objective here anyway, and you had better complete it soon. I can try helping with the boy's healing if Shukaku agrees to it, but it'll only be possible if you speak to Shukaku.'**

Naruto flinched. She was acting stupid, and she had to snap out of it. '…. Right. I'll prepare the seal now.' She fumbled around in her bag to set up her materials, brush, inkstone, and kunai—for blood. She dipped her brush in the blood-infused ink, and with several quick and fluent strokes just above Gaara's seal, she was done. It was a single-layered seal of mid-level complexity, but it was all she needed to complete her task.

"This'll be enough."

A surge of chakra into her freshly-written seal, and she found her consciousness dwindling. She watched as the world faded to black, and felt the pull of the Ichibi seal attempting to absorb her. She fought back and found herself unceremoniously dumped into a pitch-black room, unable to discern anything.

"…. Hello?" She called out as she walked forward, trying to find her way through the room.

"**Kit, stop moving."**

She turned to the source of the voice and smiled. Kurama shone like a beacon and she rushed over to him, glad to have some source of light in the darkness. "I didn't know that you would follow me into the seal," she commented.

His eyes narrowed as he looked into the darkness. **"I'll have to help you with my wayward brother. The red-head brat's seal is not like mine, and if you die, I die as well."**

Naruto's eyes widened. "… Wait, are you saying that there are absolutely no limita-"

She was cut short. **"YOU! KURAMA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? HOW DARE YOU TRESPASS HERE!"**

Naruto whirled around and saw the looming form of Shukaku, glaring at Kurama and herself. He was being rather liberal with his killing intent. "I'm here to kindly ask you to stop being a total ass and to join forces. Kinda."

Shukaku's eyes widened and he stared at Naruto for a few tense moments before he broke into derisive laughter.** "YOU? YOU THINK I'LL JOIN FORCES WITH A PUNY HUMAN?! WHO DO YOU-"**

"You're Shukaku, the Ichibi, one of the self-proclaimed 'sons' of Hagoromo, yadda yadda we know." She ignored the slight loosening of the Ichibi's jaw. "Look, I need you to reach into my mind and pull out the memories that the Rikudou Sennin sent me here with. We don't have all day; we need to save Gaara."

"**YOU…"** Shukaku's voice was contemplative but still threatening. **"YOU CLAIM TO KNOW-"**

"AND can you STOP SHOUTING? I can BARELY hear myself THINK!" Shukaku sent a wry glance to Kurama who shrugged.

With narrowed eyes, Shukaku spoke again.** "… You claim to know of Hagoromo? And what MEMORIES?"**

"Your memories. They are somewhere stored in my mind. Now hurry up, I came back into the past to save my friends, not to watch them die again."

"**You speak in a presumptuous manner, foolish hu-"**

"I was technically on your good graces before I came back, that's why. Now LET'S HURRY THE FUCK UP PLEASE?"

Kurama snorted at Naruto's behaviour and Shukaku glared at the duo. **"… Fine. Come over here,"** he commanded. His mouth formed a malevolent grin, all of his teeth visible.** "If I don't like what I see, I can just kill you afterwards."**

Naruto sent a wary glance to Kurama who nodded slowly. She walked over to Shukaku and he extended his arm in her direction. His smile grew even wider. **"This'll hurt."**

The blonde stiffened. "Well, shi-"

She screamed. The pain lasted for but a few seconds, but it felt as though he had split her head open and extracted her brain. And then, diced her brain into little bits, only to pour liquid flame on them, and then stuffed the gross mixture back into her head. And cauterized it shut.

Needless to say, it _fucking hurt_.

Naruto stumbled back to the safety of Kurama's chakra cloak and pointed a shaky finger at Shukaku. "You _asshole_! I know that didn't have to hurt as much as it did, why the fu-"

"**Kit, just be quiet for a bit,"** Kurama spoke lowly. **"It actually did have to hurt as much as did, since he ripped out the memories as opposed to what I did. He's currently going over them, so try and stay quiet, unless you want him to go through the whole process again."**

Naruto cringed at the idea of having to go through that again. "… Wait, why did it _have_ to hurt? What did _you_ do to get your memories back?"

Kurama seemed to contemplate his answer for a few moments before speaking. **"… I simply unlocked the memories and allowed them to slowly enter my mind from yours. That is why I did not remember everything all at once; I remembered the more recent memories first."**

Naruto grinned cheekily at the fox. "Aw, so you wanted to save me the pain? How sweet!"

The fox rolled his eyes. **"That wasn't the only reason. It's much easier on my own mind to have my memories surface one at a time."**

"You don't deny it."

"**Don't push it."**

"I love you too, Kura-chan."

Before Kurama could reply, their small banter was cut off by the booming—and noticeably less malicious—laughter of Shukaku. **"'KURA-CHAN'!? YOU ALLOW YOUR HUMAN TO CALL YOU KURA-CHAN!? You're even WORSE than you were during the war!"**

Kurama grumbled and Naruto smiled. "Welcome back, Shukaku. It's good to see you again."

The Ichibi attempted to compose himself, but he was still snickering slightly to Kurama's consternation.** "Yes, of course it is. So, you've traveled back into the past?"**

Naruto nodded. **"What is your plan?"**

At this, she grinned. She hadn't expected Shukaku to be so receptive to helping her, but it seemed he cared enough for both her and Gaara to be willing and relatively compliant. "I need you to behave the same for the most part. Please, don't torment him as much as your past self would've, but don't suddenly stop altogether. It would cause some unwanted suspicion."

Shukaku raised a nonexistent eyebrow. **"You do not wish for him to know the truth? To have his memories?"**

Naruto shook her head, ignoring the hopeful feeling that had surfaced. "No. I want Gaara to be normal, to be happy. It may only prove as harmful if he knows the truth…" She trailed off, fully digesting what the tanuki said. "… Wait, his memories? What do you mean?"

"**I only have my memories, but our memories are somewhat merged."** He glanced at Kurama. **"I would've thought you knew of this, human."**

Naruto crossed her arms and stared at the ground in front of her. "… I think Kurama has told me about that. They are his memories, but they are the memories he has seen through his eyes. Does it not work the same way for you?"

Shukaku grunted. **"You are the sealmaster. Our seals are different, and mine allows me to watch the world through Gaara's eyes."**

The blonde's eyes widened. She honestly hadn't thought of that, and she felt a little silly for it. "… My answer remains the same. I'd prefer for Gaara to not have his memories back, it may only hurt him."

"**Kit…"** Kurama chided. She shook her head, knowing what he was going to say.

"I'm not shoving my friends away this time, Kurama. You don't know how much I want him to have his memories back, and I will still be his friend. I'd just… I'd like to spare him the pain, thank you."

"**You didn't say that he had to, though. Only that you preferred,"** Shukaku pointed out.

Naruto nodded mutely before snapping her head back up to Shukaku. "But if you don't tell him, you have to at least tell him you aren't his mother. I mean, god DAMN Shukaku, what kind of weird notion motivated you to pretend to be his MOTHER?"

Kurama snickered at Shukaku's exasperation.** "At the time, it seemed like a good idea. Motivate the motherless, yearning child by making him think I was an ally. I didn't think he'd cling to the idea that **_**I**_** was his **_**mother**_**."**

Naruto giggled before coughing into her hand, trying to bring the conversation back to the topic at hand. "Anyway, back to the present. We need to heal Gaara, can you do that Shukaku? Do you need help?"

The tanuki snorted. **"Yes, I can. It'll take a few days to completely neutralize it since it's a new poison… Definitely not Suna made… but it'll happen."**

"Anything I can help with?" Naruto questioned.

"**His whole body is compromised at the moment, but he will wake up in about two days. Make sure to have food ready for him, he'll need it. Water especially."**

Naruto nodded and turned to ready for departure. She hesitated for a moment before looking over her shoulder.

"Be sure to take care of your _son_, Shukaku-_kaachan."_

She vaguely heard the enraged yelling of the tanuki before she cut the connection off.


	5. Bonds or Chains

**Rating: T for language. Might be bumped later.**

**A/N: ****For those of you who are curious, this chapter ended up being ~18,000 words(Excluding the not-really-Omake). The usual amount will be anywhere from 9,000-13,000, excluding the prologue/first chapter(ended up being ~7.5k) and interludes.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does.**

* * *

**Bonds or Chains**

It had been a good day.

Keyword. _Had_.

Naruto had woken up and continued with her daily routine, with the addition of "wonder what boss is up" to for about ten minutes while on the way to the Academy. When she reached the Academy with her customary tardiness and all of it's glory, she zoned out during the lectures and snoozed a bit. She conversed with Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba, and a few other classmates. Pulled a few pranks. Got scolded for said pranks. All was as per the usual.

That is, until a Wolf-masked ANBU appeared at their classroom's door and requested her presence.

Of course, the first thing that she thought of was whether or not she was in trouble. For all of three seconds she panicked before schooling her heart-rate with logic—there was no reason why she should've been in trouble, as she had proven well enough that she was not a threat to Konoha. The Hokage had most likely wanted to speak to her. But for what?

At that point, she felt panic arise once again, as she wondered about what it was that he wished to discuss with her. _What was so important that he couldn't wait until she was alone and wouldn't garner attention_?

It wasn't until she entered the Sandaime's office that she had a vague idea of what was going on.

In the office sat the Sandaime Hokage, his expression grim and rather troubled—though it wasn't the "someone just died" or "something that could harm Konoha is afoot" look. It was more, "I've encountered something extremely troubling and even if it doesn't seem important, it is very annoying." It was similar to the looks he gave whenever he scolded her for her pranks, or when a civilian came to rant about Kakashi's reading habits.

In front of the Hokage's desk stood a rather familiar blonde. Yamanaka Inoichi, the man who had performed the mind-walk on her and helped her to confirm her identity stood with a slight slouch, seemingly relaxed(with the exception of the small twitch in his hands).

So, there Naruto stood, puzzling over why she had been summoned. There was the possibility that he had come to check up on her future self, and that the Hokage requested her to come—oh shit, was that the reason why he looked so stressed? Was she supposed to come as her older self? But wait, if that was the case he should've let her know through his ANBU. Or at least sent Inoichi out so she could henge herself. So what _was_ the reason?

"Jijii?" She glanced over to Inoichi, his face was undecipherable. "Why was I called here?"

The aged Hokage breathed out a long, resigned sigh. "Uzumaki Naruto, the Yamanaka clan has requested that you be placed under their guardianship."

…

_What_?

… Yes, it certainly _had_ been a good day.

* * *

When Inoichi had made the decision to become Naruto's legal guardian, he knew the child would be guarded about the whole idea.

After the mind-walk that he had performed on her future counterpart, the young girl had been on his mind constantly. Naruto, the current, was Ino's age… and yet, she had suffered through such intense hatred, unbidden acts of violence, and she never retaliated. He had never paid particular heed to the young blonde until he had seen her memories…. And when he had, he could not get said memories to relinquish their hold on his mind.

He had realized that, if he wanted peace of mind, he had to do something. He had to make up for his past mistakes and could _not_ turn a blind eye to the girl anymore. He had the ability to help her, to guide her, to save her from her grief, and yet he hadn't thought to do so until he saw—_experienced_ just what horrors she had and would go through. Inoichi was ashamed of the village, the civilians. But most of all, he was ashamed of himself.

She was the Kyuubi container, and yet, she was also a child. A child that knew nothing of the world, nothing of the harsh realities of being a shinobi. Nothing of the love and affection of parents, of siblings, peers, friends, of villagers that _should_ have treated her as a hero as opposed to the pariah that she had become.

Eleven years of living in a village that looked upon her with scorn had clearly moulded her into a distrusting one, but she still showed nothing but smiles and her fiery personality. She was like the sun itself; no amount of water could douse her flames. But her cheer was mostly on the surface, and she was still an impressionable child. A child who needed protection, love and care. It was not too late for her to experience familial life and to be protected from the unwarranted glares she received from the bitter villagers.

So, yes, Inoichi expected her to be against the whole idea of him being her guardian, but he knew it was for the best. He knew that she needed this, even if it was an arrangement that would last for a single year until she became a ninja, and by default, a legal adult. She needed it, and he was more than willing to provide it; it was the least he could do for his old friend.

What he didn't expect was her blatant derision to the idea and her rather terse reply.

"Hell. No." Her stance was daunting and oppressive, and Inoichi blinked. For the briefest of moments he didn't see a child standing in front of him, but a warrior with the most severe of countenances, a leader with unyielding resolve. She turned to leave.

There Inoichi stood, dumfounded at her reply. But no, he couldn't simply let her walk out of there! He had made his decision, and he was going to help her whether she wanted him to or not. She was a child, and she needed guidance. "Naruto-chan, I know you are probably unsure about this, but I assure you that this will be benefi-"

She whipped around, her short blonde locks swaying slightly. "No means no, In-…" her mouth clamped shut and her eyes widened for a second before she schooled her features back to one of reticence. The oppressive air about her dissipated, and Inoichi was betwixt sighing from relief and pitying the girl that seemed to lack the usual childish innocence that accompanied others her age. "… I'm fine. I've _been_ fine. I don't… I don't even know you."

"I know," Inoichi spoke in a calm, quiet tone. "I apologize that this is how we must meet. My name is Yamanaka Inoichi, and I am to be your-"

"You aren't to be my _anything_, Yamanaka-san," she snapped. "I don't want to be adopted or anything! I'm perfectly fine on my own!" Her heated glare directed at the Hokage was not overlooked by the Yamanaka.

Inoichi sighed. "I am not adopting you, Naruto-chan. I'm just—"

"And don't call me that, please. I'd rather not dwell on the fact that you somehow know my secret." Her head ducked down and he could not see her expression, but he could feel her unease.

"… Right," Inoichi gave an apologetic smile. "Naruto-san. I'm not adopting you, but you _are_ being placed under the guardianship of my clan. Even if I had wanted to adopt you, I wouldn't have been able to due to certain… circumstances. I understand that you have been living on your own for quite a while now and that _that_ is the norm for you, now. But it isn't wise to leave you out on your own, and this arrangement will have you living with us for at most a year, until you graduate and become a certified ninja."

Naruto's head snapped up to face the Hokage again. "_Living with_? No! What the hell-" She heaved a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. Inoichi felt a small twitch in his left eye at the unabashed display of ire. "… Jijii, can we please speak for a moment? In private?"

Inoichi turned to the Hokage and noticed the rather amused look he had donned. The male blonde raised an eyebrow at the elder's nonchalance at the situation. "After you spend some time with Inoichi-san and come to an agreement, yes." Naruto looked like she was about to protest, but the Hokage raised a hand up to silence her. "Please, Naruto-chan, this is for your sake. Humor me."

Inoichi could feel the almost tangible tension as the blonde and the Hokage had their staring contest, wherein unspoken words—that Inoichi did not know—were exchanged. After a few nerve-wracking moments the tension dissipated and Naruto let out a long sigh. "… Fine. I apologize for my behaviour, Hokage-sama, but I hope that you will think to inform me prior, the next time something like this occurs." Inoichi gaped. Whether it was at her blatant disrespect for the Hokage(she always acted disrespectful, apparently, but something was different this time) or the… Intelligence? Maturity? No, it wasn't that, but instead of acting like a petulant child being forced to do something against her will, she seemed more like an abrasive senior being told to babysit a child. Inoichi did not know what to think of the situation he had gotten himself into.

"-Inoichi-san? Did you get that?" Mentions of his name snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked between the Hokage and the blonde. A sheepish smile crept onto his face.

"… Er, yes? I apologize, I was lost in thought."

The Hokage chuckled. "You will spend the afternoon with Naruto so that the two of you can come to an agreement. Whether or not this arrangement goes through is up to her." He glanced at the clock. "… The Academy students will be released soon, why not introduce Naruto to your daughter? I'm sure the two could make great friends."

Inoichi blinked. That could be a good idea; a child like Naruto would do well with companionship. But his daughter wasn't exactly the sweet-and-caring type; she was judgmental, superficial, a little selfish… "Hokage-sama, am I allowed to divulge Naruto-san's true gender?"

"No," Hiruzen quickly replied. "Unless Naruto herself reveals this secret, then it will stay just that: a secret."

"I understand." He glanced to his temporary charge before leveling his gaze at the Hokage. "… I meant to ask sooner, but how has, er… _Fuuko_-san, I believe that is her name; how has she been doing?"

Unbeknownst to Inoichi, Naruto bit down on her tongue to resist the urge to face-palm right then and there. The man, for all of his knowledge and experience as an interrogator—handling information and the delicate human mind—was sorely in need of practice in the art of subtlety. Hiruzen was also withholding the chuckle that threatened to burst from his lungs.

"Fuuko-san is in good health. I am certain she understands your worries, but she is perfectly capable of handling herself." The elder took a puff from his pipe. "May I ask why you are inquiring?"

Inoichi inwardly cursed. Why was he inquiring? Because she was the future of the girl beside him, that's why! "Shikaku had heard that a new Jounin was added to our ranks, and being one of the first few to… Meet her, he asked me about what I knew. He has actually been trying to contact her, but she seems to be rather elusive. Is she out on a mission?"

"Yes she is, actually," the Hokage replied plainly.

Once again, Naruto's mind was swimming unbeknownst to Inoichi. 'Crap,' she thought, 'I forgot about that. Shika's dad is the Jounin Commander. Of course he's going to want a headcount of all the Konoha Jounin. I'll have to try and think of a plan while the boss is away so that we'll be better prepared…'

"Well then," Inoichi turned to Naruto and grinned. "Shall we get going, Naruto-san?"

She nodded, and the two bade farewell to the Hokage. As they walked out of the building, Naruto tugged on his haori, causing him to stop. "… Sorry about earlier. You can just call me Naruto, I don't really care for honorifics…"

Inoichi smiled. "Well, you can just call me Inoichi, in that case. I'm not much for honorifics either."

He watched as the younger blonde grinned at him, and he felt a pained warmth swell within him. He wouldn't turn a blind eye to the young girl in front of him anymore. He couldn't deny her existence anymore, he couldn't deny her past, her future, or her heritage.

He wouldn't allow Minato's legacy be left alone, not if he could help it.

* * *

When Gaara awoke(two days later, as Shukaku had predicted), Naruto practically tackled the redhead. She could feel his muscles tense at the sudden contact, but she couldn't care less.

She had lost him twice before already, like _hell_ she was going to lose him a third time.

"I'm glad you're awake, Gaara." She sighed contentedly and withdrew from the rather one-sided embrace. Gaara gave her an incredulous stare to which she replied with a bright smile. "Are you hungry? I have some food, I'm sure you're probably famished right now."

Not waiting for a reply, she grabbed a small bentou box she had purchased earlier and placed it in front of Gaara. His eyes widened as he opened it, and she had no doubt that it was because one of his favourite foods was included: gizzard. Naruto made no effort to hide her cringe. She had tried the rather…_ different_ meat before, and it definitely wasn't high on her 'favourite foods' list, if there at all. Despite herself, she smiled as the thin boy dove into the food without restraint. Though he was rather starved and practically inhaling his food, his attention appeared to stay on her, as though he thought she would attack him at a moments notice if he weren't careful.

It was different, and it was difficult.

She hardly remembered the time when she and the Sand Siblings were at odds. She barely remembered Gaara's old self, his murderous, Shukaku-influenced mannerisms. The Gaara she knew was the strong, unyielding, loving, benevolent Kazekage of Suna. The boy—the _man_ who had managed to win the hearts of his citizens despite his past, the man who had thanked her. The man who was, in a sense, her brother. He was her brother, and though he had often said that she was his role model, she believed it to be the other way around.

Her hands clenched into the cloth of her kimono. If one wanted to go into the logistics, he was the only one who truly managed to win the hearts of the citizens in his village. She never achieved that; she had let them die.

Shoving her pessimistic thoughts aside, she looked up at Gaara to find that he had finished and was assessing her with a wary gaze.

"I see you liked the food." She smiled as she reached for the empty bentou box and stood up. "You know, you've been asleep for two days. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning, so I'm afraid you can't stay here any longer. Luckily, most of the poison has left your system by now, so you'll be back at 100% by-"

"Why?"

His tone was terse and it cut through her words like a knife. Naruto simply placed the empty bentou box on the table, her back to Gaara. "Why what?"

"Why did you help me? Why didn't you leave me to die?"

'Oh, Gaara,' she thought silently with a sigh. 'If you knew what I knew, then my reason would be plainer than day.'

Naruto turned around and sat on the foot of the bed, facing the adjoining wall. "Why wouldn't I?"

She heard a soft sigh. "We are not friends. There is no reason why you should help me."

Her head whipped around and she leveled a glare at Gaara, sufficiently surprising the redhead. "Gaara, even if _you_ don't consider me a friend, I already gave you my take on this. Whether you accept it or not, I consider you a friend." She puffed out her chest in an indignant fashion and crossed her arms.

Naruto watched as Gaara mulled over her words.

"… Why do you like me?"

Her brow furrowed and she cocked her head to the side. Gaara furrowed his own brow in response. "… You said that you liked me, the other day. You said that was why you considered me a friend, despite the fact that we had just met."

Naruto's mouth formed an "o" shape as realization dawned on her. She smirked at the boy and allowed her arms to fall back to her sides. "Why do I like you…? Well… I guess, I have a good feeling about you. Call it a hunch."

Gaara's brow furrowed further. "What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I said. I have a good feeling about you, and I am certain we will be good friends as soon as you accept the inevitable."

The creases in the redhead's brow smoothed and his face went blank. "You chose to be my 'friend' based on a _feeling_." He deadpanned.

"Yep." Naruto beamed.

Gaara's eyes wandered to her kunai holster. "… You are a shinobi, and yet, you give your trust so readily."

The blonde tapped her chin. "No, I'm not one yet. But I will be."

"… You will be killed."

"Unless it's you who does it, I doubt it."

"And what makes you think I won't?"

Naruto broke into a full smile. "Same reason for why I like you, why I consider you a friend. A feeling, and I trust you."

She was about to say more—she had known for years that Gaara was not the type to accept such an explanation, because, even though he had learned to love and knew about love, he was still pragmatic at heart and probed problems for logical, scientific reasons—but found herself at a loss for words when she watched the tell-tale twitch of his mouth.

Immediately she was upon him, trying to get a closer look at the smirk/smile that was about to form… But his face was back to a cool facade, and she let out a small whine. "You were gonna smile! I saw that!"

His expression was as plain as ever. "No."

"Yes, you definitely were! I know what I saw!" She leaned in closer.

"No," Gaara reached out and pushed her face away from his own, blank face. A brief flicker of mirth shone in his eyes. "I do not smile."

Naruto gave a cheeky grin. She had not thought it possible for Gaara to relax so soon, but she supposed that Shukaku's lack of manipulation was key. She could already see Gaara's stern-yet-loving personality shining through, and the fact that he hadn't outwardly shown the urge to bathe the walls in her blood was proof as much as any other. Perhaps she would never see _her_ Gaara ever again, but she was definitely going to protect this one.

With that in mind, she poked him in the shoulder, happily noting that he hadn't flinched away this time. "I'll make you smile at some point, Gaara."

* * *

"No, as if Billboard Brow!"

"Shut up, Ino-Pig!"

Inoichi groaned, and Naruto sighed.

The three Academy students plus-one-Jounin sat in a booth at a teahouse as per the guardian's suggestion. Sakura and Ino were in a heated argument that had gone from talking about waistlines and love handles(really?) to Sasuke, then to calories, then to "who had a prettier nose," and then to their hair. At the moment, they were talking about who had longer, more _lustrous_ hair. Naruto simply sipped at her tea(a small cup of matcha; rather lackluster compared to the… Weird concoctions the other two ordered) while nursing her growing headache. She didn't even know clones could get headaches until then, and even though she had grown to be the type to appreciate information of all forms, she had a feeling that she could've lived without this particular tidbit of information.

Where did she even go wrong?

When the Hokage had told her that she had to spend some time with Inoichi, she thought it'd be fine. She had latent respect for the man, of which she hadn't realized until her Ino began _regaling_ everyone and their mothers about her father's prowess. _That _had been a weird stage for the platinum blonde, but Naruto supposed that was due to the grief from loss.

But back to the topic. Naruto didn't think that it would be a bad idea to spend some time with the Yamanaka head, and she appreciated his goodwill. Of course, she was planning on adamantly refusing the idea of being placed under the guardianship of the Yamanaka Clan regardless, unless it somehow allowed her all of the freedoms she had previously(without the potential threat of ruining the Clan's reputation). Worst comes to worst, she could have "Fuuko" adopt her to resolve whatever guilt-ridden issue the elder blonde had.

A high-pitched screech broke through Naruto's thoughts and she winced as she watched Sakura claw at Ino's hair. In all honesty, she had not planned on befriending the two girls at the moment. She was fully content on waiting for when Team 7 had their first meeting before she formally met Sasuke and Sakura. The only events in the timeline she intended on changing were the deaths, not how soon she met and/or befriended her past-future friends. Not to mention, everyone else from the Rookie 9/Konoha 11 really, _really_ needed the time to mature. To shed those remaining bits of childhood immaturity.

"Sorry."

Naruto was mid sip when Inoichi spoke and her gaze shifted over to him, an eyebrow raised. He sheepishly scratched his cheek. "… I didn't think my daughter and Sakura-san would be so…"

"Volatile? Explosive? Tempestuous?" Naruto supplied. "Because I think all of the above are apt descriptions of the two here. They don't even know we're talking"

Inoichi stared incredulously for a few moments before coughing into his fist. "Er, yes."

A few moments were spent watching the two rivals try to rip each other's eyes out.

"… You know, you're not at all what I had uh, expected."

Naruto smirked. "In what way? I'm sure there are many things about me that caught you by surprise."

Inoichi steadied his gaze on Naruto and she stared back. "Naruto, I do want you to know that I am here to help. I have changed my view on you a few times already, and it is my own fault for misjudging you. But I want you to know that it is fully my intention to be someone you can rely on, someone who can be a pillar of support. I want you to trust me."

Naruto had to say, she was surprised. She did not think that she had done much to gain such unyielding loyalty from the man, even if he _did_ meet her "future self." It was heartening, really, that she had another ally. An ally from someone that she wouldn't have expected otherwise. In response to his words, she smiled.

"I appreciate it, Inoichi. I really do. But I truly am fine as I am."

Inoichi snorted. "Oh no, don't get me wrong, I am more than certain you are fine, you show maturity and cunning at a level that surpasses some of the seasoned Shinobi possess," his words caused Naruto to raise an eyebrow. "I admit, it is mostly for my benefit. It soothes my conscience much more to know that I have offered my help, and the aide of my Clan. I… Have wronged you, and I want to know that you will reach out to us should you ever feel the need to. Never again will the Yamanaka Clan turn a blind eye to you."

'Ah,' Naruto thought silently. 'So that's where the loyalty comes from.' She had always figured that Minato and Kushina held strong ties with the other Shinobi of their age group. The two were so vibrant in personality, mannerisms, status, and heck, hair. Bright red and golden blonde were kinda hard to miss in a sea of mostly monochrome and shades of brown. Of course they would have garnered attention from the "higher" individuals of Konoha, Yamanaka Clan included. Naruto only wished that she had known this the first time around, wished that she could've had this support when she truly needed it. But, then again, how was she to know that her parents' friends _hadn't_ simply abandoned her? How was she to know that, to gain the love and support she had needed, she only needed to be a bit open about her feelings of loneliness? Heck, she never even knew who her parents were, and even that information didn't come to her until Konoha was leveled to the ground. _And_ that information was not given to her so much as forced out of necessity.

"It's okay, Inoichi. I'm sure… _They_ don't mind. I know I don't, and I'm happy that I have your support."

The elder blonde's eyes widened and his voice fell below a whisper. "… You… You know…?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

"From wh-"

"What are you guys talking about?"

Naruto and Inoichi immediately looked across the table to Ino and Sakura, who, had apparently, stopped fighting. They both had looks of confusion, and it was Ino who had spoken.

"Oh nothing," Naruto supplied evenly, "your father just wants to adopt me. Silly, right?"

A look of absolute horror crossed Ino's face. "TOU-CHAN! You can't be serious! I can't live with NARUTO-BAKA!"

Inoichi shrunk into himself and tried to placate his furious daughter. "Ino, it's not exactly that! Naruto here would be placed under the protection of the Yamanaka Clan, and would only _sometimes_ need to stay over-"

Naruto watched amusedly as Ino screamed bloody murder at her father for a few moments, but she decided that she ought to save the poor man.

"Ino, don't worry. I'm not going to accept the arrangement, since I already have someone that wants to be my guardian… somewhat."

Ino stared at Naruto for a few tense seconds before nodding and muttering a small, "fine."

Inoichi turned to Naruto, a questioning look on his face. "Oh? I don't believe the Hokage had informed me about this."

Naruto shrugged. "You were talking about her."

His eyes widened. "Fuu-"

"Kinda," Naruto quickly interrupted him. "Nothing has been set in stone, however, and she is simply my… Mentor for now."

Sakura's face pinched slightly. "… What are you talking about, Naruto-baka?"

The blonde in question waved off the question. "Not anything important, really. It's all kinda boring… Instead, why don't you tell me why you are such heated rivals?"

It was a quick and easy transition of topics. Sakura immediately scowled in Ino's direction, and the act was reciprocated with equal vehemence. "Because Billboard Brow/Ino-Pig is STUPID!"

"No no, I mean, what was the reason why you two first started fighting? Just because someone is 'stupid' doesn't mean that it will spark a rivalry, especially not one as strong as the one you two share…" She was goading them, and she could feel her headache worsening. However, if she was going to sit there dealing with the two anyway, then Naruto decided that she may as well try and diffuse some of their girlish crush-motivated dreams.

"BECAUSE SASUKE-KUN IS MINE!" They both yelled simultaneously.

"NO HE'S MINE!" Again.

"STOP YELLING THE SAME THING!" Again.

"AND AT THE SAME TIME!" And again.

Naruto sighed. "Let me get this straight. Your rivalry is based on your individual crushes on an uptight jerk that has no interest in you, girls, love _in general, whatsoever_?"

"Sasuke-kun isn't a jerk!" Sakura yelled, and Naruto raised an eyebrow to make her skepticism known. The two rivals exchanged a look. "… W-well, when you put it that way, of course it doesn't sound very good…" They at least had the decency to act a little embarrassed.

"So," Naruto continued, "the two of you are in the Academy, striving to become Kunoichi, so you can be _recognized by your crush_? So he will turn your way and give you his _love_?" She tried to say that with as little incredulity and sarcasm as possible. She did a rather good job, she had to say.

"… Yes?" The two girls squeaked. If they weren't such annoying, fangirl harpies at this age, Naruto would've thought it was cute. In a, "what cute, innocent, little puppies" way. God, she was feeling like a grandmother already.

"You'll get killed," she deadpanned. The two girls gasped. "At this point, it's fine to a certain extent. That is, until you graduate, and you end up with a C-turned-B-rank mission and have to fight a high-leveled shinobi. And then, you realize that your abilities, while passable for graduation, aren't nearly honed enough to defend against an enemy going after your head. You come to the realization that your time that was spent fan-girling over a broody boy in Academy would've been more useful had you used it for training."

The two girls looked like Naruto kicked a puppy. Naruto was glad that she was getting through to them, but she had to admit that she was a little worried to look to the side. Experiencing _exactly how much of a doting father_ Inoichi could be was not an idea she was fond of. "Look, as a Shinobi or Kunoichi, you don't know when your last breath will be. You don't know who will be the one to end your life. You don't know how you'll die, and most people hope to be claimed by age instead of a nin looking for extra ryo in his pocket. Most don't have that wish granted." She reached over and flicked the two in the forehead, causing them to drop their dejected looks and glower at her. "I don't know about you, but if I were to die, I'd rather die thinking that I did my best and that I had come as far as I could. Not, 'oh no, now I'll never be with Sasuke-kun…'" She gagged at the honorific. The only _honorific_(unconventional, though it was) she had ever given the bastard was "teme." "Here's my suggestion. Get a better reason to become a Kunoichi. For the good of Konoha, to protect Konoha, to become the best Kunoichi, it doesn't matter. Anything would be better than, 'for my puppy love.'"

Naruto leaned back in her seat and allowed the two to digest her words. She glanced at Inoichi and was relieved to see approval as opposed to a countenance promising death. When a minute had passed and silence still hung heavily, Naruto decided enough was enough and stood up to leave.

"Naruto?" Inoichi questioned. "Where are you going?"

Naruto shrugged. "I've said my piece. I still need to talk to Jijii about some things, and we've already wrapped up the whole deal with the Yamanaka Clan, right? We can just have a sort of… Gentleman's Agreement. We'll come to each other's aid if needed, but I'd rather not have any legal workings that could be used against either of us. Also, you can probably get the details of my mentorship with Fuuko…san from Jijii."

"… Alright," Inoichi nodded, albeit somewhat defeatedly. "Ino, stop sulking and say goodbye to Naruto."

Ino shot a glare to her father, no doubt angry that he was treating her like a child. She opened her mouth to, no doubt, yell some choice words at her father, but was cut short when someone else spoke.

"I'll think about your words…. Naruto."

Three pairs of eyes landed on Sakura who fidgeted from the sudden attention. Ino begrudgingly nodded. "Yeah…. Me too. I'll… think about it, I guess."

Naruto beamed at the two, thinking about their formidable future counterparts. "Good to know. I'll see you at the Academy sometime, Ino, Sakura." She left the tea house without another word.

"… Tou-chan?"

Inoichi glanced at his daughter. "Yes Ino?"

Ino shared a look with Sakura and her brows knit together. "… What happened to Naruto-baka?"

"Hm?" The elder Yamanaka raised an eyebrow.

"He's changed," Sakura supplied. "He isn't… The same."

Inoichi chuckled, to the ire of the two young girls. "I suggest you befriend Naruto. I'm sure he isn't nearly as bad as you two think he is, and I'm sure after that little talk you had, you've realized this too."

They nodded as they shared another look.

Perhaps they could be a _little_ nicer to the obnoxious blonde… Just a little.

* * *

"Jijii!" Naruto hauled herself into the Hokage's office via window and tackled the elderly man from behind, holding him in a tight hug. "I do believe an explanation is in order."

Hiruzen chuckled and pat her on the head. "Why, whatever do you mean, Naru-chan?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed as she stood up and walked around the desk to face his front. "Why did you even consider the idea of me being placed under the protection of the Yamanaka Clan? Now I need to pretend that I have some kind of mentorship with Fuuko. Do you know how weird that will be to have to pretend to have a constructive spar between me and Fuuko? To converse and act friendly with Fuuko? I may be a little crazy, but I'm not bound for the padded room!"

Hiruzen gave a mirthful smile. "I'm sure you'll be fine, Naru-chan. But I have good reasons for doing what I did, I truly do."

"Oh?" Naruto crossed her arms and gave an indignant pout. "Well, let's hear them."

"You've been having problems connecting with your friends." It wasn't a question, and Naruto stiffened. "Yes, Naruto, I know that you have been struggling in that regard. You've become distant, even going as far as avoiding the Academy as much as possible."

Naruto looked affronted. "Wha-! No, I've still been talking to Shikamaru and Ch-"

Hiruzen's gaze turned serious and he cut her off. "I know that you believe—or are trying to believe—that they are entirely different people. I understand your fear, but you must not push your friends away, Naruto, because for one in your position…. Friends and bonds are the most important. Even more so than a vast repertoire of A and S-Rank Ninjutsu or immense strength. Because your friends _are_ your strength." He took a puff from his pipe. "Do you understand, Naruto?"

Naruto stared at him for a few moments before face-palming. "… I should've known. Of course that's what this was about."

Hiruzen's demeanor turned positive again. "So, have you become friends with Ino-chan and Sakura-chan?"

"Uh… Well," Naruto scratched the back of her head. "… I don't really know? We're not at a stalemate anymore, if that's what you're worried about, so… I guess… Thanks, Jijii."

"You are very welcome, Naruto."

Naruto tapped her chin. "… So, you _are_ going to help me with this, right? What exactly should I say? What should my relationship to Fuuko be?"

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "I figured you would've already decided to enact your original plan. Fuuko was to be a mentor to all of Team Seven, was she not? Why not start earlier, with you as her apprentice? It would be similar to the configuration that your father had with Hatake Kakashi."

"Why, you ask…" Naruto rubbed her temples. "… I guess that wouldn't be _too_ bad. I just didn't want to have an 'edge' over my teammates—they could both be rather jealous—and I didn't want to chance drawing attention to myself before the Academy graduation. Kami knows I don't need the attention right now, since all the students in my year aren't certified Shinobi yet and would only be in danger. Konoha isn't ready for a siege led by Tobi, and honestly, neither am I."

The Sandaime smiled. "Well, this would only help towards your plan. If Fuuko has a closer connection to you, the assumption would be that she protects you. _She_ would end up being a primary target of Tobi and the organization, just as you wanted."

Naruto pondered his words. "… You know what, yeah, you're right…" She wanted to face-palm. Perhaps this arrangement wasn't as bad as she thought. Not to mention, she would have a fool-proof plan in case anyone ever asked her where she got her abilities in the not-so-distant future.

She rolled her eyes at the decidedly triumphant smirk that the Sandaime shot her way.

* * *

It had been four days since he met her, and yet, he could feel that something was different. Very, very different. And he didn't know if it was good or not.

After he had left Fuuko, he had spent the night mulling over what he knew about the blonde. She seemed to be upbeat and trusting, warm like the sun(yet not to a severe degree like Suna's sun), and even her chakra was calming, friendly… Inviting. There was something about her that Gaara couldn't place, something familiar. Something that made it easy for him to forget about his past and the hatred that he had clung to for the majority of his life. The feeling had been there ever since he first met her, though he had been too focused on seeing her dead to really notice it. Something that he had realized immediately upon waking up after the poison escapade was that the feeling had increased exponentially.

Most of all, no matter how much he searched, he could not find even an ounce of Mother's aura… Her hatred. She was still there, that much he could tell, but no longer did she send waves of bitter resentment through his coils, commanding him to search for prey to kill. Prey to turn into red pools of blood to dampen the dry sands of the desert.

Perhaps it was the way that she looked at him, her eyes which said that she understood him. That she felt his pain, and that she was his… Friend. It was an odd concept to him, still, and he wasn't sure _where_ this unadulterated trust was coming from. It was confusing, and rather grating that he couldn't understand. He was quite certain that he didn't care for her and didn't think of her as a friend, and yet, there was something… Something that allowed her to get close. Something that allowed her to be herself without resulting in her death.

"Gaara!" A cheerful voice called out to him and he calmly turned his head to acknowledge the new presence. "You're here, I didn't think you'd see me off!"

Gaara simply inclined his head, and the blonde grinned. "It was nice staying here and getting to know you, I can't wait to see you next time."

"Next time?" Gaara questioned. He felt an odd sensation of hope, causing his brow to furrow.

Fuuko nodded. "Yep! I'm certain that we'll see each other again, probably in about a year."

"Where did you come from?" Gaara abruptly inquired.

Fuuko's eyes widened. "… Huh?"

It was a question that had piqued Gaara's interest for a while. The girl had made it clear that she was not from Suna, and he wondered what kind of village would raise someone so… "Your home. Where is your home?"

She scratched her cheek. "Er… Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to say. I'm from Konoha."

Gaara looked at her for a few moments, noting her shifting feet and nervous demeanor. He nodded. "I see."

Fuuko blinked. "Huh? Is that all you have to say? You're not going to question…?"

He shook his head. He had already realized that she was a Kunoichi from her chakra coils(which were dangerously developed, and though she suppressed her chakra he could still feel the raw _strength_ the girl emitted) and the way she carried herself. Her hailing from Konoha was not something difficult to imagine, as the village itself was reputed for it's more kindly mannerisms in raising it's Shinobi.

"… Well," Fuuko began, snapping Gaara out of his thoughts. "Yeah. I'll see you next time. Maybe you'll be visiting me instead!"

Before the redhead could reply, he found himself being stran—hugged, by the blonde, and he froze, unused to the act. She quickly withdrew and gave him a toothy smile before spinning on her heel and dashing towards the gate.

Before she passed through, she halted, and turned her head to the side.

"… I won't let you be unhappy, Gaara. You will be happy."

Gaara cocked his head to the side as he watched her retreating form. He was certain he was not supposed to hear those words, but they confused him all the more. A weird, warm feeling flickered in his chest and he silently nodded before turning back towards the village.

* * *

Naruto, henge'd as Fuuko, cursed in colourful tones and with vim and vigor as she leapt across the rooftops in the evening sky.

There wasn't any sort of emergency, she hadn't made some irreparable mistake that tied a metaphorical noose around her neck. No, she wasn't in any sort of trouble or dire situation, though the same couldn't be said about her earlier.

The entire day had been trying on her patience, and she was frustrated, tired, insulted, and quite frankly, she wanted to just forget the day had _ever happened_.

It all began mid-morning when she came home from her week-long mission in Suna.

...

Clone Naruto was walking through Konoha, admiring the lively and bustling air that the village exuded. It was easy enough to ignore the scornful looks, because the _point_ was much more important. The point? Konoha was here. Everyone was alive. And Naruto was content, knowing that her home was safe, and far from the dangers she knew existed in the world. The dangers that had ripped happiness from her bare hands once before.

Her reverie and the calm in the village was abruptly destroyed when a shrill scream pierced through the murmurs and conversation like a blade. It was over almost as soon as it began, however, and Naruto dove into the quickly forming crowd to find the source. There, in the center of the circle of onlookers, was Mitarashi Anko. She was collapsed on the floor, face twisted in pain and chest heaving.

"_You know," she drawled, pointing her now-clean stick in Naruto's direction, "if you keep eating Ramen like you do, you'll get fat."_

_Naruto scoffed as she finished her 23rd bowl. "You know, if you keep eating Dango like you do, you'll get fat."_

_Anko placed her hands on her hips and bit down on another stick of Dango. "Donf fell me wha fwoo do!" A fist collided with the back of her head and she leveled a weak glare at the blonde, mentally cursing her existence._

"_You know it's true. I know that, because of my metabolism and daily training, I won't be putting on the pounds as soon as you will. Not to mention, you're older than me and already on the decline," the blonde stated matter-of-fact-ly, while eyeing the veritable mountain of clean wooden skewers._

_The purple-haired Kunoichi let out a shriek of rage. "AGH! You should be bowing down to me, god DAMN it! Yes, I'm older than you, so you should show some damned RESPECT!"_

_Naruto shrugged. "I do. But instead it's more like… Respect for an idiot older sibling, instead of respect for a teacher." She pointed her hashi at the enraged snake mistress. "Do you understand, Anko-_neechan_?"_

_Anko gave a wry smirk. "… You cheeky little bitch. You're lucky you're the number one candidate for Hokage, otherwise you'd be a rather unattractive red splatter on the walls instead."_

"_I learn from the best."_

Naruto giggled at the memory. Outwardly, their relationship wouldn't have been said to be good. Most of the time, the two were trading insults and X-rated banter that would've made B and A look like little angels, but even then, the two were thick as thieves. Anko was someone that, while rough around the edges and somewhat lacking in tact, Naruto could get along with easily. Two hot-headed Kunoichi with power to back-up their claims; that's what they were. Their status as orphans and their not-so-happy pasts only helped to solidify their sibling relationship, and Naruto truly respected the woman.

So, to see the person she viewed as her older sister on the ground, clutching her neck and writhing in pain, made Naruto feel a particular rage bubble up within her.

'The seal. That _damned_ seal,' she thought venomously as she went to Anko's side. 'I'll have to remove it… and soon. Can't do it now, though, not enough chakra… Can't chance doing it as Naruto, either. Not until the Chuunin Exams, but I won't wait that long.'

"Kunoichi-san," Naruto called, inconspicuously reaching towards Anko's seal to soothe the pain, "are you alright? Kunoichi-san?"

Suddenly, Anko's hand shot out and grabbed the blonde's hand that touched the seal and growled at Naruto. "Who the hell are you, brat? What do you think you're doing?" To anyone else, she would've sounded intimidating. However, Anko was not at the top of her game, and Naruto had seen her fearsome strength when at her best.

She simply rolled her eyes. "Kunoichi-san, I can help to ease the pain on your shoulder if you give me permission." She glanced at the crowd. "… And if we go someplace that doesn't have as many… Spectators."

Anko sneered angrily, beads of sweat rolling down her face. "Hah, very _funny_ kid. You're not even a Genin yet, what the hell do you think you can do?"

The blonde felt a vein pulse on her forehead. Yes, the woman in front of her was definitely Anko, as she was one of the very few people who could rile her in the years after the war. One of the very few who could still get under her skin and irritate her to death, and _definitely_ one of the very few that could do so while in excruciating pain. Without any prior warning, Naruto's arm shot out and slapped Anko's seal, causing the snake mistress to hiss and lash out. Naruto landed on the stone a few feet away with a soft "oof" as Anko scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide with panic.

"What the fuck did you just do!?" She yelled out, gripping her neck.

Naruto stood up slowly and dusted herself off before placing her hands on her hip. "The pain should be subsiding now, yes?" She was a little miffed; had Anko cooperated, Naruto could've preserved some Chakra. As it stood, she had wasted unnecessary Chakra because of the snake mistress' stubborn pride. Typical snake summoners.

Anko's eyes widened as she rubbed her neck. She looked confusedly at Naruto, her hand hovering over the seal. "… How did you…?"

"I'll take that as confirmation. I should probably go now, I have so-"

"Answer me, brat! How did you do that!?" Anko held Naruto by the collar and shook the blonde, who was struggling to keep from dispelling.

"If… You… Stop… Shaking… Me…!"

"Oh," The purple-haired woman relinquished her hold on Naruto and grinned somewhat sheepishly. "So, you gonna tell me how in the fuck a brat like you did that? And what you did, exactly?"

Naruto rubbed her own neck as she contemplated. "Like I said, someplace with fewer prying eyes."

"Oh, I know just the place!" Anko's eyes practically sparkled.

It really shouldn't have been any surprise that Naruto found herself sitting at a Dango stand all but five minutes later, watching the purple-headed Kunoichi devour a mountain of Dango. She knew that Anko loved Dango, that she could never forget. She just hadn't realized the rather… _copious_ amounts of the stuff the woman consumed. Naruto cringed as she watched the pile of empty skewers grow with each passing second.

"So," Anko began, chewing on her treat, "talk."

Naruto sighed. "I used a seal on you to balance out the conflicting chakra within the seal. The seal itself is rather unstable, so all I did was balance it. The pain you felt was a loss of equilibrium."

"A seal?" Anko frowned. "How'd a kid like you learn Fuuinjutsu?"

"I… My teacher," Naruto supplied lamely. "I only started recently… but this kind of seal isn't _too_ difficult to manage. It's only a temporary effect and with basic Fuuinjutsu theory."

Already, Naruto could pick out the holes in her own story. If Anko knew _anything_ about Fuuinjutsu aside from the usual, "you use a brush to paint swirly designs on a piece of paper, slap said pieces of paper on a target, channel chakra into the seal and BAM Fuuinjutsu," then she would've been screwed. Anyone that had lessons in Fuuinjutsu knew that, for the first couple of years, the apprentice is stuck with a plain mixture of ink and a typical brush to practice calligraphy. All the while, scrolls upon scrolls of Fuuinjutsu theory are heaped upon the apprentice to read, learn, absorb, eat, and shit. _Actual_ Fuuinjutsu didn't come into play until the user had a steady hand and discerning eye that could peel apart some of the mildly difficult seals; any sooner and the user risked losing an appendage(or worse, their life) in a fiery explosion. However, the Anko she knew had never studied any form of Fuuinjutsu aside from the basic exploding tags, and even then the snake mistress didn't know how to actually make them. How this was the case, Naruto didn't know. Orochimaru was supposedly an adept at Fuuinjutsu, so it was rather strange that Anko knew nothing of the art… But looking a gift horse in the mouth was not advisable.

"Temporary?" Anko questioned, watching the blonde for any shifts in demeanor. After all, even if she knew next to nothing about Fuuinjutsu, she was still a Tokubetsu Jounin of Konoha and knew better than to take words at face-value. "Why? Does it run out of juice or something?"

"No. If you noticed, there is no physical seal on your skin aside from the one that you already had," Naruto answered.

Anko quirked an eyebrow. "I can't see my neck."

Naruto snorted. "No, but you can _feel_ it. What I did was use a seal of pure chakra, originating from me. The seal itself is technically within me, but it's effect was transferred to you."

"That sounds complicated," Anko commented, scratching her head. "You sure that's only basic Fuuinjutsu stuff?"

It wasn't. Fuuinjutsu typically worked on the surface it was placed on, and complete transferral of effects was something that Naruto had theorized on herself. Creating a seal out of pure chakra was also a theory she had created herself(and damn she should get a patent or something). Self-made theories and custom works in Fuuinjutsu were just as celebrated as signature Ninjutsu, and on occasion, Hiden. Only certified masters of the art were usually able to create their own theories, _apply_ them, and create _working, stable_ seals. Naruto herself hadn't dared to experiment with transferral or Chakra-woven-seals until she was about six years into the field, and even that was considered early. Fuuinjutsu was as dangerous an art as it was useful, and if one treaded into unknown territory of the technique, they risked consequences that could leave them crippled—mentally _and_ physically. The good news was that Fuuinjutsu had a lot to do with theory and application, making it something that Naruto could use almost as soon as she was shot into the past. While her body needed conditioning and training to work up to the level of Taijutsu, Kenjutsu and Ninjutsu that she had before, her level of Fuuinjutsu had declined the least, allowing her to keep most of her repertoire of over-powered seals and vast knowledge of the subject. Anko didn't need to know any of that, though.

She didn't want to lie, so she settled with a half-truth. "Well, kinda, but my teacher is really good."

"Your teacher? Who?" Anko pursed her lips. "Actually now that I think about it, who are _you_, kid?"

Naruto shrugged, happy to ignore the first question. "People typically introduce themselves first."

Anko's eye twitched and she gave a malicious grin. "I'm Mitarashi Anko. And I hate precocious little brats like you."

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the precocious brat who helped you."

Anko's eye twitched again before she broke out into raucous laughter. "Hah! I'll give you that much, kid, you're interesting. And I suppose I _do_ owe you one for helping me with that little scene. This fucked-up thing," she pointed to her seal, "was giving me absolute _hell_."

"Eh." Naruto waved a hand dismissively. "If you want to thank me, don't tell anyone about what happened today, or about my abilities."

Anko blinked. "Wait, seriously? That's it? You're not even going to ask me where this seal came from or what it does…?" She pouted somewhat. "I take it back, you're not interesting. You're boring, like an old man."

Naruto chuckled. "It's none of my business where that seal came from. I don't know if I _want_ to know where such a malignant thing came from." Her gaze went cold and Anko froze. "But I'm serious. Don't tell anyone."

The two had a rather one-sided staring contest for all of a minute before Anko scratched her cheek and gave a half-hearted smirk. ".. Er, well, if you really-"

"I do," Naruto interrupted.

"Hmm," Anko turned her gaze to the sky, on her last stick of Dango. "So, who's your teacher?"

The blonde heaved an internal sigh before standing up and stretching. She was _not_ going to be a victim to Anko's usual custom. "Well! It was nice meeting you, Anko-neechan, but I gotta go. See ya!" She leapt onto the roof of the Dango stall and dashed away from the stunned snake Kunoichi.

"Wha-… 'neechan'…? …" Anko bit down on the Dango skewer and leapt onto her feet. "OI! Get back here, you sneaky little prick! I dragged you with me because I'm not paying for all of this!"

Yeah, she had been stuck with the bill once before. It was customary of her surrogate sister to do this; leave the bill with a newly acquainted friend on the first outing for dango. Don't ask, she didn't know why, all she knew was that the woman did it even when she was _technically in debt_ to the damned person she planned on sticking with the bill. Naruto had come to the past, and she knew that she was going to keep certain events from changing. Some were important events that should be left alone.

Paying for her sister-figure's Dango bill was _not_ one of them.

...

"Namikaze Fuuko, I have an A-Rank mission for you." Hiruzen handed her the mission folder, and she looked it over carefully. Little to no mission details were provided, and it was a solo mission. The only information provided was the fact that she was requested specifically for the mission… And that she was to report to Umino Iruka. A Chuunin. She rose a single golden eyebrow at this, and he could probably tell despite the mask she wore.

"Huh," She lifted her gaze to the Hokage. "It's not often that a Shinobi is handed a mission directly from the Hokage himself. What's the occasion?" She didn't like it. Something was up, and it wasn't just the sky.

A mischievous glint in Hiruzen's eyes made a shiver run down Fuuko's spine. "Don't worry, it is nothing life-threatening. In fact, I think it will serve to be a great distraction from the trying nature of most A-Rank missions. You will report to Umino Iruka at noon today, he should be at the Academy."

Fuuko sighed as she tucked the folder under her arm. She had a feeling that, whatever the mission was, it wasn't going to be an easy one. She had hoped to go home and rest, as she had been out of the village for a week and was in dire need of a shower. Such a wish wasn't to be granted, it seemed.

"One other thing, Fuuko-chan." She looked back at the Hokage, confusion evident on her face. He usually only added "-chan" after Fuuko's name when he was planning something. "I need you to go visit Nara Shikaku as soon as you can, preferably before the end of the day."

Her brow furrowed. "Why?"

Hiruzen chuckled, to her annoyance. "You'll see. It _is_ important that you do so soon, however."

Fuuko gave a tentative nod. She didn't really know the man previously and her intel on the man was pitiful. Other than the fact that he was Shikamaru's father, a true Nara(intelligence, laziness and all), loved Shogi, and died before his son did, she really didn't know much. Meeting him as a friend to his son was one thing, but how was she to act around him as a subordinate? She wasn't sure how that would go. In all honesty, Naruto had never truly exercised the "respect for those higher than you" graces because… Well, when she had been a Genin, she was too absorbed in her dream. Tunnel vision, you could say. In the Genjutsu, all she did was continue striving for peace, striving to protect her friends and family. Then, she reached ANBU, ANBU captain, and then _Hokage_. As an ANBU subordinate she learned some of the mannerisms subordinates adopted, but it wasn't long after her induction into ANBU that she was promoted. In all honesty, though, at least half of the reason for her promotion was due to her natural aptitude to lead… And her rather poor skills at _being_ lead. She was considered the most unpredictable ninja for a reason, after all.

She gave an internal sigh. It wasn't going to be fun being thrown all the way back to Genin, the bottom of the food chain. She was bad before, but with the knowledge, experience, cunning, and most of all the pride of a Hokage…

Ugh.

...

"I got you, you pissy little brat!"

Naruto laughed. Anko had done a pretty good job keeping up, considering she wasn't a tracker. When she was truly eleven, none of the ANBU had ever been able to catch her, and now as an adult-in-her-child-body, she was that much more evasive. Anko was good, and was probably the only non-ANBU that had ever been able to keep up, aside from Iru—

"NARUTOOOOO!"

Crap. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Naruto face-faulted out of the tree she had been perched on and felt two approaching chakra signatures, both familiar. She was lifted up by her collar and she gave the scarred Chuunin a half-hearted glare.

"Whaddya want, Iruka-sensei?" She whined, imitating her younger-self's mannerisms. "There wasn't a test today!"

Anko walked into the area and paused. Naruto gave a snicker at the confused look the snake mistress made.

"I TOLD YOU! Today there's a Jounin visiting today who can answer any questions you guys might have!"

Naruto's eyes widened. "A Jounin? Do you know who?"

Iruka smirked as he began dragging Naruto with him in the direction of the Academy. "You'll see. I hear she's quite an interesting character, and quite a few people have been trying to get ahold of her to see what kind of person she is."

"Wait a damned second, dolphin!" Iruka halted and turned around, an eyebrow raised. "The brat there owes me! You can't just come here and take him away like that!"

Iruka looked at Naruto, a questioning gaze in place. "… Naruto? What did you do to Mitarashi-san?"

"What!?" Naruto crossed her arms, insulted. "I didn't do anything! In fact, I actually helped her!"

"Oh, really?" Iruka's eyes narrowed at her, and Naruto gulped. "You didn't pull another prank, did you?"

Naruto spluttered indignantly, and Anko suddenly burst into laughter. Iruka looked at her as though she was crazy(which, by the way, was still debatable).

"Hah, I was joking. We were just playing, dolphin-boy. The brat here really did help me, we were just playing a friendly little game of tag."

'Tag, she says.' Naruto looked at her incredulously. 'She pulled some moves that were more dangerous than some of the techniques ANBU pulled on me.'

"O-oh, is that so…?" Iruka asked, obviously still confused. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and sent Naruto a semi-apologetic nod.

Anko crossed her arms. "Well, not entirely, I guess. The brat here wouldn't tell me who his teacher was."

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "Er, I'm his teacher, Mitarashi-san."

The purple-haired Kunoichi waved a hand dismissively. "No, no, not that kind of teacher. Like a shishou, a mentor."

Iruka's eyes widened and he looked down at Naruto, who's collar he was still gripping. "What? Naruto, I didn't know about that. Who's your shishou?"

Naruto thought about her options, however few. If she denied the claim, she'd seem suspicious, and a suspicious Jinchuuriki was the last thing she needed to be known as. She hadn't planned on making a connection between her and "Fuuko" known this early on, but…

"… Namikaze Fuuko," she supplied, and she watched as their eyes widened. Whether it was because of the surname or they had already heard about her through the Hokage, Kakashi, or Inoichi, she didn't know. She released a small amount of Killing Intent while her gaze went frigid. "This is a an S-Rank secret, however, and only the Hokage, a few Jounin and I know. So _don't_ go throwing this information around." Not true, but insurance is always good.

Anko gaped, and Iruka…. Was smirking? Naruto frowned. She didn't like that look on the man, she decided.

"Well, it was nice seeing you Mitarashi-san, but I really do need to get Naruto back to class. Today is an important day, after all." He resumed dragging the blonde to the Academy.

"We should hang out again some time, brat!" Anko called out as soon as she recovered, a devious grin stretched out on her face. "Next time, you're paying for my Dango!"

Naruto simply smiled at the Kunoichi. An energetic Anko truly was the best, and she wanted to do as much as she could for her sister-figure. She made a mental note to prepare her counter seal for the Cursed Seal of Heaven that night; perhaps she could present it to the Hokage tomorrow? She definitely wanted to get the tainted thing off of the snake mistress as soon as possible.

She wasn't going to allow Anko to suffer the physical and emotional pain the stigma of the seal forced her to bear. Like hell she would.

...

"Class, this is Namikaze Fuuko-san, who is here as a visiting Jounin. Please be polite!"

Fuuko nodded to Iruka and gave a small wave to the class. She saw the stunned expression of her clone and sighed. 'I can't believe I got roped into this.' She had walked to the Academy to find out _exactly what_ she was supposed to do, and honestly, she was none too happy about it.

"_Ah, Namikaze-san! Hokage-sama told me that you would be the one to help out," the Chuunin stated happily. Fuuko restrained a grimace._

"… _Did he, now? What exactly am I… Helping with?" She felt creeping suspicions rise up in her stomach._

_Iruka lead her out of the office and into the halls of the Academy. "Well, you are going to be a visiting Jounin, and you're going to answer questions for an hour or so. Give the students an idea of what it's like being a Jounin."_

_She inwardly cursed. 'Not life-threatening indeed. But my sanity… That's another issue.' She really didn't want to deal with a bunch of noisy, chattering, immature kids… From two perspectives. Her clone was already in a class, one perspective was enough, thank you very much._

"_Mm, I see. What does it entail?" She inquired, already resigned to her task._

_Iruka stopped in front of a familiar door and Fuuko mentally shuddered. It was _her_ class. "I'll let you know as we go along, but for the most part you will be supervising and telling them about life as a Jounin. Anyway," he slid the door open and Fuuko braced herself. "Let's go, shall we?"_

Yep, that's how she ended up getting roped into a glorified babysitting mission on her first day back to Konoha. As soon as she stepped through the doors of the Hokage's office, she was beset with this "mission" and told that it would be a good way to relax after her week-long one. _Great_ way to unwind, sure. A part of her held the urge to yell, "What the HELL gave Jijii the inclination to label this A-Rank!?" while another part said, "A-Rank isn't even CLOSE to the amount of stress this will give me."

Regardless, she smiled pleasantly to the ogling students. "Hello, class. As Iruka-san said, my name is Namikaze Fuuko. I am a visiting Jounin and I'm here to supervise and answer any questions you may have."

"Namikaze-san! Can I ask a question?" Unsurprisingly, it was Sakura who's hand shot up.

Fuuko went to stand by the podium and nodded at the pinkette. "Yes, Haruno-san?"

Sakura gaped and Fuuko inwardly chuckled. She could at least have a little fun. "How do you know my name?"

"Magic, maybe?" Fuuko shrugged her shoulders and let a small smile creep onto her face. "Was that your question?"

"Oh, uh, er…" The young girl blushed faintly. "Why do you wear that mask? Jounin don't usually wear ANBU masks, do they?"

Fuuko tapped the chin of her mask as though contemplating and then gave a small shrug. "I'm just used to it, is all."

Sakura fidgeted at the half-hearted answer. "Um, well, how does a person become a Jounin?"

Fuuko bit her lip. Honestly speaking, she actually didn't know the normal route to becoming Jounin, since she never actually became one. Even in the Eternal Tsukuyomi, she went from Genin to ANBU, and then Hokage. However…

"Well, one way that I know of is getting a recommendation. Generally speaking, the more well-known and experienced the individual is, the higher the chance that he or she will get appointed. Of course, it mostly depends on your own ability. There is also a Jounin exam, but I'm afraid I don't know the specifics."

"How did you become Jounin, then?" It was Kiba who spoke this time.

Fuuko snorted. "If you're asking out of curiosity, then it's fine, but my case is rather… special. I wouldn't count on taking the same route; I was approved by the Hokage after a one-on-one spar with an opponent of his choosing."

Shino's hand rose and Fuuko nodded in his direction. "Who did you spar against?"

A mischievous glint flashed through Fuuko's eyes. "Only one of the biggest perverts in Konoha. He reads some rather '_choice_' material in public, he is always late, he hides his face and probably has a hair lip, and he likes to pick on poor, unsuspecting Genin."

Sasuke scoffed. "He sounds weak."

Fuuko blinked a few times before grinning maliciously. "Oh, so the boy who styles his hair in the fashion of a water fowl actually speaks," she commented off handedly, earning a glare from said Uchiha. Her clone sent her a glance and smirked.

"Nah, Duck-ass only makes guttural sounds unless he's feeling particularly ostentatious. 'Cuz he's a pride-freak," the clone commented. So what if she's getting her digs in because of a past—er, future grudge. Don't judge.

Sakura was about to say something but Fuuko cut in, shaking her head. "You know, there are a lot of people like that in the shinobi world." She sent a level glare towards the Uchiha. "People who end up dead."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees and Fuuko continued. "By principle, Shinobi work together. We need to work together, because there is no such thing as a 'fair fight.' We operate in the shadows, we have no code of honor like samurai. We do what we must to survive. To let something as menial as pride get in the way of a clear mind is the same as letting your enemy slice off your limbs and eviscerate you for the world to see. Teamwork is stressed in Konoha for a reason, and no 'lone wolf' ever gets very far in life. Typically because that very life is cut short."

With a final glance at Sasuke, she nodded, and the mood seemingly lifted. Some of the students were shaking, and even Sasuke seemed to be (begrudgingly)considering her words… Slightly. Damn prickly Uchihas.

Fuuko shrugged. "I am sorry if that seemed harsh, but my purpose here _is_ to give you a taste of what it's like to be Jounin… Though, what I just told you is something that is hopefully learned and understood by the time you are Genin. Teamwork is vital to any group, and any of the past Hokage would have told you the same."

"U-um…" All eyes turned to the Hyuuga heiress, and with a quiet "eep" she shrank further into her seat.

Fuuko chuckled. "Yes, Hyuuga-san? Please don't be shy, I'm here to answer questions. If you have one, ask away."

It helped. "Um, y-your name is **[1]**Namikaze Fuuko… I-Is your last name spelled t-the same as N-Namikaze Minato's, the Yondaime?"

Collective gasps were heard in the room and Fuuko repressed the urge to sigh. You'd think that _that_ would be the first thing people would wonder about when they heard the name.

"Namikaze-san, I would very much like to hear the answer to that as well," Iruka began. "I heard you arrived in Konoha not too long ago, what is your connection?"

She nodded in Hinata's direction. "Yes, I am related to Minato. He's my mother's cousin, my first cousin once-removed."

"Wow! You're related to the Yondaime Hokage, that's so awesome!" Kiba practically leapt out of his seat and Fuuko smiled under her mask. 'If only you knew, if only you knew..'

Ino interjected. "Wait, so, if you're his relative, how come we never knew about you before? And sensei said that you arrived in Konoha recently?"

Fuuko gave a small nod, still smiling behind the mask. "Sorry, but that is private. I'm here to answer questions, certainly, but I'm not here to give my life story. Let's just say that my clan doesn't exactly exist anymore, which is why I had come here looking for a possible relative. But I'm sure many of you understand clan dynamics and the importance of familial ties, yes? I can see quite a few heirs in the room…"

Suddenly, the room exploded and each heir or heiress began speaking, eventually shouting, about their clans and lifestyle, all except a certain Hyuuga heiress and moody Uchiha. Iruka coughed, trying to get the classroom to settle down, but it was to no avail. A vein pulsed on his forehead and he yelled with authority like no other.

"CALM DOWN, ALL OF YOU!"

All the students immediately calmed down and Fuuko turned to Iruka. "Thank you."

He gave a shy nod.

"Yes, so…" Fuuko tapped her chin. "Yamanaka, Hyuuga, Uchiha, Inuzuka, Akimichi, Nara, Aburame, Sarutobi… Can anyone name the last major clan? One that specializes in seals?" She received confused looks, causing her to grimace slightly. "… Seriously? None of you know about the clan that originated from the east?"

At the blank looks she received she turned to Iruka who visibly flinched. The man scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Er, it's not specifically in the curriculum…" When Fuuko thought about it, she didn't recall anything about the Uzumaki Clan being taught in the Academy. She had once attributed it to her less-than-desirable antics as a student, but apparently it wasn't just that. Knowledge about the Uzumaki Clan had been wiped as clean as the Clan itself, it seemed.

"I see," she shrugged and turned to the rest of the class. "Well, does the name Uzushiogakure sound familiar to anyone?"

Sakura raised her hand, to no one's surprise. "Uzushiogakure, the land of whirlpools. Wasn't that place eradicated during the war?"

Fuuko nodded. "Yes, it was."

"Well then, does it really matter? If the village is gone and there were no survivors, then it's kinda pointless."

Fuuko blinked. She figured that, of all people, Sakura would have understood that knowledge is still knowledge, even if it was from an extinct civilization. An odd mix of disappointment and offense bubbled within her, but she did not have a chance to politely scold the girl. "Actually, it _does_ matter."

Everyone turned to the source of the voice, and Sakura yelled. "No one asked you!"

Clone-Naruto sent a glare laced with killing intent at the pinkette, who flinched. "So what if no one asked me? You are talking about _my_ clan, which, by the way, isn't extinct. Not yet."

Ino scoffed and glowered at the shorter blonde. "What? _Your_ clan? As if, a dobe like _you_ wouldn't have a clan!"

"And what's so surprising about that!?" Naruto snapped.

Fuuko stood back with a single golden eyebrow raised. She knew that, had she been placed in that situation, she would've remained silent. Or at the very least, would have Hiraishin'd out of the room, thinking that it wasn't worth the time to stay in the classroom. The clone was, most likely, feeling the strain of chakra exhaustion and was about to dispel. Call it a researcher's interest, but for now, she'd let her clone act out however it wished.

A student she didn't recognize snorted. "You're a liar. But even if you _were_ from a clan, what use would it be with _you_ as the sole survivor? Now that's got to be one pathetic clan. I can see how it got wiped out."

Other students chimed in, adding their two-cents about the concept of Naruto having a clan. "Dobe this," "Dead last that," "useless idiot." Iruka looked ready to start a war.

Fuuko felt a quiet rage bubble but was able to withhold her anger. Her clone wasn't as controlled.

"SHUT UP!" Everyone went silent and wide-eyed. "How… How _dare_ you disrespect my clan! You guys, of all people, should understand how important familial ties are! Even I, an _orphan_ that has nothing but my name understands this much. My clan, the Uzumaki clan, was one of the most _prominent_ clans, with extensive knowledge on Fuuinjutsu! They were so _powerful and knowledgeable_ that they were destroyed because they were feared, their _power_ was feared, their _strength_ was feared. Did you know that Uzushiogakure was called 'The Village of Longevity'? Well, that's because people from _my_ clan had long life spans and incredible power!"

The clone slammed it's hands on the desk and stood abruptly, glaring at the ones who belittled her clan. Fuuko whistled quietly. "Don't act like you're all so much better, because you _really aren't_." With one final glare at the instigators, the clone vanished in a cloud-less poof.

Everyone stared at the empty space where Naruto was just moments before, some with looks of incredulity, others with confusion, and few with quiet understanding.

Fuuko quietly mulled over the vast amounts of information that her clone provided her with and sighed. 'Idiot clone used a seal and gathered Nature Chakra.' It explained the tension the clone was feeling, at least. She decided that she ought to abate some of the hard feelings her clone left; to try and rectify the situation somewhat with facts. "… Do you know why there is a particular swirl design on the flak jackets of the Konoha uniform? On the buildings around the village? On random paraphernalia?" All attention immediately snapped to her.

She leaned back against the podium and crossed her arms. "It's a symbol of friendship."

This earned confused looks from many students. "What do you mean, Namikaze-san?" A random student ventured to ask.

She gestured to Iruka's shoulder. "Put simply, it is a symbol of friendship between the most prominent clan of Uzushiogakure and Konohagakure. This swirl? It's the symbol of the Uzumaki clan."

This earned small gasps and widened eyes around the room. Fuuko continued speaking. "Did you know? The Uzumaki clan are blood relatives to the Senju clan. Senju Hashirama married Uzumaki Mito, who was royalty of Uzushio. She was the one who made it possible for Hashirama to battle the nine-tailed fox, the one who ensured his victory. Do you know how?" Her jaw tensed slightly. "Fuuinjutsu. Not fancy ninjutsu, not some blood limit, not Hashirama's Mokuton. Mito's Fuuinjutsu is what made it possible for Hashirama to defeat the beast."

She allowed a moment for this information to sink in. "Do you know why the leaf symbol on our forehead protectors has a swirl?" She tapped the headband on her forehead, eliciting a spark of surprise from Shikamaru. He figured it out.

"… That's also…" He began.

Fuuko nodded. "Yes. Even our village insignia is fashioned with the Uzumaki spiral. History says that it was the Uchiha Clan and the Senju clan that founded Konoha, but you know? If you went into the nitty-gritty details, it was the Senju clan and the **[2]**_Uzumaki clan_, not the Hyuuga clan, not the Akimichi clan, not any other clan but the _Uzumaki clan_, who founded Konohagakure."

It was something that wasn't taught in the Academy due to the apparent censorship of the Uzumaki Clan. Yes, Konoha was founded on the alliance between Hashirama and Madara, between the Senju and the Uchiha. Yes, Konoha had started off as a village composed of mostly Senju and Uchiha. But Naruto still remembered something that Tsunade had told her, before the Fourth Shinobi World War. She had said that Mito was practically the third founder of the village, and not as Hashirama's wife but as a delegate of Uzushio. Uzushio, the Uzumaki Clan in particular, contributed so much, and yet received no recognition for it.

There were more gasps and looks of astonishment. "Just because I am the last living Namikaze, does that make my clan any less important?"

Sakura spluttered. "Wha-no, of cour-" She started, but Fuuko cut her off.

"I've seen how many of you ogle the Uchiha boy over there. Just because he is the last of his clan, does that make his clan any less notable? Does it make him any more 'pathetic'?" More protests came but she didn't let anyone speak above her. "Do any of you realize what it is that you just said? The one you just forced out of the classroom, the one who you just shunned, is in a position no different from many other survivors of clans. He is a survivor of a proud clan, just like any other. He knows his roots, and he tries especially hard to hold fast to them because _he is the last_. And yet, you all did nothing but insult and bruise that connection that he clings to for dear life."

She did not notice, but Sasuke gave an imperceptible nod of understanding.

Fuuko shook her head and turned to the door, walking with a brisk pace. She halted just as she reached the threshold and spun on her heel to face the classroom. "Hopefully you all have learned something today. Look underneath the underneath. Not all is as it seems. You all have potential, but you must learn to grow past what is well beneath you. You are all citizens of the same village… Just as you are classmates of that boy you ousted. I mentioned earlier that teamwork is of utmost importance."

She turned around, facing away from the students. "If you cannot even work together with people on such a minute scale, then you truly have a vast amount of work ahead of you."

She gave a small smile to Iruka who cast her a slightly apologetic look. Then she, too, disappeared in a soundless, cloudless flash, leaving a classroom of stunned students.

* * *

Naruto stood atop the Yondaime's head, looking off into the blue expanse of the sky. Her hands hung loosely by her sides, and she realized that she missed the feel of her robes. She missed her long hair. Her flak jacket. Her height. Her _friends_. Everything that made her who she was, the "Uzumaki Naruto" that she had familiarized herself, was gone.

'… Hey, Kurama.' It was time to confront this, one way or another. 'Do you think I'm a coward?'

The fox shifted in the seal and let out a huff. **'Does it matter?'**

Naruto deflated slightly. 'So you do.'

'**Damn it brat,' **the fox let out an irritated sigh,** 'that**_** isn't**_** what I said.'**

'It does matter.'

'**Why? Why does it matter?'** Kurama spoke in an exasperated, irate tone.

'Because,' Naruto stated, equally exasperated, 'what if I'm not doing the right thing? What if everything goes to hell, what if I'm not able to save everyone?'

'… **You had seven years to think this shit over, and you're questioning it **_**now**_**?'**

Naruto gave a small pout. 'I didn't have anyone to speak to. It was just me an my thoughts, and trust me, after a while I had to stop that altogether because leaving me to my thoughts? Not pretty.'

'**Apparently.'** Kurama rolled his eyes. **'But that didn't answer my question. Whether or not you are a coward shouldn't matter. You will choose what you think is right, and you will stick to it like the stubborn cockroach you have always been.'**

'Just because I think something is right doesn't mean that it actually is or even considered socially acceptable.. You know what happened to Kakashi's father.' She shuddered. That was one of the "gifted" memories that she really wished she hadn't received from the Rikudou Sennin.

'**I didn't say that you would be indubitably right. **_**You**_** were the one who was chosen for this task, however, so just do whatever you want.'**

A small silence fell between the two and Naruto buried her head into her two hands.

'… My clone acted stupidly back there.'

'**I noticed.'**

'Just a little strain, and it acted like a child.'

'**You always do.'**

She groaned. 'Give me a straight answer, Kurama. Do you think I'm acting like a coward? Am I running away?'

Kurama snorted. **'**_**I**_** think you're acting like your broody-ass-Uchiha. Do **_**you**_** think you're acting like a coward?'**

'Stop, Kurama. I wouldn't be asking if I didn't think so. I'm…'

He grunted. **'Well then, you are. This is about your attitude towards your friends, isn't it?'**

Naruto's mouth formed a thin line and her hands clenched. She decided to sit down. '… Yes.'

'**You still refuse to accept them, even though you had vowed that you would change everything. You seem to forget that you are not the Uchiha brat and that you are **_**not**_** a loner, nor **_**should**_** you be. You need to accept your friends, because they are the source of your strength.'**

'I… I promised,' she began, 'I promised myself that I would make friends with everyone. I know, I know that they are not the same. I already told myself that, no matter how much I may want it to be so, everyone _I_ made bonds with is gone. They don't know me, and I'll never see them again. But I told myself that it was a good thing, because they _shouldn't_ end up the same. They _shouldn't_ find themselves in the middle of an all-out war, they _shouldn't_ die before their time.'

Kurama nodded. **'Then what is the problem? You know what to do, so just stop avoiding them now. Stop building a mental wall between you and them. They're alive, go be stupid with your kind.'**

Naruto inspected her gloved hands as though they were the most interesting things in the world. '… I don't want to accept the changes? I don't want to look at them and face the reality that the people I knew are never coming back? I don't want to befriend them, only to watch them die for the second time?' She bit her lip. 'All of these reasons, they are true. That's why I'm a coward. I know they are different, but what they say still hurts. A lot. And you know, to be seen as an annoyance, some 'random classmate', the pariah of the village… To have them look at me with such disgust and annoyance, and with those faces that are painfully similar to _them_.' She winced as she realized her hands were trembling slightly.

'Heck, Jijii had to actually_ trick _me just to get me to speak to Sakura and Ino. I probably wouldn't have spoken to them, not until I got assigned to Team Seven and the Chuunin Exams arrived.'

Her tenant didn't reply for a few minutes and she grew worried. '… Kurama-'

'**Just be yourself. Even if you have changed, you are still Uzumaki Naruto, the idiot that never gave up. Even when it came to befriending me, the great Kyuubi, the most powerful of all the Bijuu.'**

Naruto chuckled half-heartedly. 'Y'know, it's easier said than done.'

'**No, it isn't. Just talk to them. You can't aim to avoid them before you even get the chance to see who they are. You're over-thinking this enough as it is, and it isn't like you.'**

The blonde chewed her lip and considered their conversation. 'Man. Even if it was probably worse than under the table, I just got some counseling from the Kyuubi. Damn.'

Kurama snorted and Naruto laughed, but this time it was with true mirth.

'**Just don't expect this from me often, because it isn't going to happen again.'**

'I bet,' Naruto mused, mood somewhat lighter. 'Sorry, I was just on edge, honestly. The words the Sage told me before I came back to the past were kinda left to the wayside for a while, but my mind wandered to my friends and the similarities of this world and the Genjutsu. It made me remember his prophecy… Kinda stressful.'

Naruto felt Kurama's ears perk up at the information and she giggled. **'Words? A prophecy? What did he say?'**

'Uh,' her face scrunched as she tried to remember his exact words. 'Something about preconceptions of dreams, and how dreams can be more truthful than reality. Honestly, it doesn't make much sense but it still gets my hopes up sometimes. Regardless, there is no way that a Genjutsu could've held solid credibility… or could it?'

She hummed as she continued. 'Maybe the Genjutsu could tell the future or something? I wouldn't be surprised, if time travel is possible…'

The fox stiffened immediately and Naruto's small smile faded quickly. Her eyebrows knit together and she frowned, trying to reason out the fox's unease. '… Kurama? What's wrong?'

'**Nothing,'** he supplied quickly, perhaps a little too eagerly. **'Just considering… A few things.'**

That… wasn't like the fox. He was never the type to stew on things. If it concerned someone's emotions, he would be as blunt as ever, heck, if it concerned some kind of plan or vile secret he would_ still_ be blunt. Or talk around the issue cleverly, because he was rather sharp for his old age. Though he would never admit it, he was a rather cunning master of speech and knew the intricacies and tricks to making a conversation go one's way…. Like an Uchiha. Masters of deception, with intelligence and sharp wit to accompany. Kurama, when he wasn't feeling particularly lazy, could rival Madara—no, a Nara—_Hagoromo_ in intelligence/mind games.

No, Kurama wouldn't try and dodge a question with something as cavalier and amateur as 'nothing.' He would make it believable.

Hence, Naruto's warranted apprehension at the strange consideration the beast was showing.

'Kurama, you and I both know that, whatever it is you are stewing over, isn't "_nothing_." Spit it out.'

Kurama growled. **'It's nothing, kit. I just… Somehow I saw some of your memories. Of the old man. I don't want to talk about it.'**

She raised an eyebrow. Kurama was getting emotional? Kurama? The _Kyuubi_. The reputedly strongest of all of the tailed beasts.

Naruto grinned deviously.

'So, when were you gonna tell me you were such a daddy's boy?' Her question held the faintest of sarcasm, and a hell of a lot of humor.

Kurama clutched his head and groaned, causing the corners of Naruto's mouth to curl further.

'**If you are quite done, I seem to recall you thinking something about "reviewing your memories," earlier,' **Kurama growled.

Naruto blinked a few times before groaning. When her clone had popped, she had only skimmed over her memories before setting them aside to speak to the class. It wouldn't have taken long to do so, but at the time she didn't feel like doing so.

She closed her eyes and spent a minute reviewing over her clone's memories. Visiting Shika and Chouji… Inoichi wanting to adop—the FUCK? … Meeting Anko… Iruka… Her eyes widened. "AH!"

That explained Iruka's reaction to the mention of "Namikaze Fuuko." What a weird feeling it was to merge two minds that held such vast amounts of different information. Naruto reviewed over the information about Shikaku and realized why the Hokage wanted Fuuko to meet him. She could do that toni—"… Oh shit," she muttered. "I'll have to visit him soon."

'**What?'**

'I have to visit Nara Shikaku as Fuuko. Jijii asked me to do so soon, probably because Fuuko is a Jounin under his command… that he hasn't met yet. I'll have to apologize to him for not going to see him sooner, ignoring protocol like that is a rather large offense. But there's _also_ the counter-seal I wanted to make, and I wanted to finish that tonight as well. It's probably, what, 17:00 right now? I don't have a lot of time—'

'**Someone is approaching,'** Kurama growled. **'And fast.'**

Naruto quickly went through the hand seals for Chihenge and forced her body to relax as she stood facing the direction of the setting sun. She knew the approaching Chakra signature, and she did _not_ want him meeting "Uzumaki Naruto" yet. She couldn't simply run away though, in the time she spent thinking about it he had already detected her presence. She would just have to wait to see what he wanted, and politely tell him that she had _more important_ matters to get to.

"Yo." A deep voice drawled, as the presence drew closer.

"Fuuko" nodded but didn't turn to face him.

"What are you doing out here?"

She turned around and spoke in a low tone. "I was just thinking. And I was also just about to leave, Kakashi."

The silver-haired Jounin gave an eye smile. "Oh? I do hope you aren't avoiding_ me_, Fuuko-chan."

Fuuko felt her eye twitch as her face took on a "whatthefuck" look. Thank kami she was wearing her mask. "Not at all. I just have things I need to get done."

Kakashi hummed as he strolled closer to the blonde, who eyed him warily. He halted when he was standing next to her, facing the setting sun. Fuuko's fists clenched. "… What is it that you want?"

"Hmm?" Kakashi turned to her with a supposedly innocent look. "Whatever do you mean, Fuuko-chan?"

The two locked eyes and held a small staring contest for a moment. It was broken off by Kakashi who sighed, and turned back to the setting sun. "… The roles are switched this time."

Fuuko blinked. "What?"

"The roles," Kakashi drawled, "are switched. When I fought you, I was the guarded one, and you were the one who prodded. Now, though, _you're_ the one guarded."

The blonde reached to pinch the bridge of her nose and frowned when she remembered she was wearing her mask. Instead, she settled for crossing her arms and sighing exasperatedly. "Look, Kakashi, if you don't need anything, then I'm leaving. My time is better spent elsewhere."

"Oh?" Kakashi leaned down to look her in the eyes. "And where is 'elsewhere'?"

Fuuko pushed his face away and turned around, wondering if she should walk, Shunshin, or use Hiraishin. "… I need to formally introduce myself to the Jounin Commander. I kinda… Forgot," she muttered.

She barely had a second to register what was going on before she felt the ground depart from her feet.

...

Fuuko blinked.

At least twenty pairs of eyes were on her, and she barely recognized more than a few. It was noisy but a minute ago, and as soon as she had stepped through the threshold the chatter ceased immediately. She smiled sheepishly, despite her mask, and raised a hand to give a small, two-finger wave. "Er… Hi," she noticed a few people jolt at the sudden break in the silence. "My name is Namikaze Fuuko. Nice to mee-"

They were Jounin, alright. Within the blink of an eye, everyone seemed to converge on Fuuko and she suddenly felt smaller than a flea. She was 5'6",(a height she didn't consider short, considering all the women she knew at her age were usually 5'3" or shorter) and yet she felt like Hinata, what with how overpowered she was feeling.

"YOU'RE Namikaze Fuuko?"

"Why are you wearing a mask?"

"What's with the weird flak jacket?"

"Is it true you beat the Hatake?"

"How strong are you?!"

She held out her hand to push away a few of the invaders-of-space and spoke in a quiet tone. "… Calm _down_, and I'll tell you." That seemed to do the trick, as a unanimous flinch made it's way through the group as they backed away, some with apologetic stares.

"Geez, I told you guys to be less nosy. What are you, _Chuunin_?" a familiar voice chided. "You guys never learn."

Fuuko looked in the direction of the voice and saw Anko, giving her a questionable grin. "Hatake, you should've stepped in to help her."

Kakashi shrugged, not bothering to look up from his book. "She beat me. She can defend herself," he riposted, going over to an empty couch to sit down. Fuuko followed and took an empty seat, ignoring how all of the Jounin there were eyeing her like a piece of meat.

Yes, the place that Kakashi took her to was the Jounin HQ. Naruto had heard of the place, but for obvious reasons, had never actually gone. As a Genin, she was barred. As an ANBU, it would've been considered rude or an abuse of power. As Hokage, the Jounin came to _her_.

"So, are you really Namikaze Fuuko, why are you wearing a mask, what's with the flak jacket, and how strong are you?" Fuuko looked to her right to see a bandana-wearing brunette, with brown eyes and a senbon between his teeth. Shiranui Genma, if she recalled correctly.

"Yes I am Namikaze Fuuko, I'm used to it, it's useful and I'm used to it, and I would say…" she shrugged. "… Adequate."

Genma quirked a smile. "I'm Shiranui Genma. The old man that dragged you in here is Hatake Kakashi, but you probably already knew that." He pointed to a short-haired man with a weal-like scar running across the bridge of his nose and down his left cheek. "That's Namiashi Raido. He's kinda prickly sometimes, but he's a good guy." He ignored the indignant splutters from said man and pointed to a spiky-haired man wearing red-rimmed sunglasses. "Yamashiro Aoba. He can be a little prickly too, but he's usually pretty laid back like yours truly." He was about to point more but his hand was stopped. Both he and Fuuko looked up at the man responsible.

"I'm Gekko Hayate," he coughed, "and I think it may be worth noting that all of us are Tokubetsu Jounin."

Fuuko blinked twice before nodding. "Everyone here is a Tokubetsu Jounin?"

"Well, except Kakashi, and Hayama over there," Genma supplied. "A few others hanging around, too. Most of us here, currently, are Tokubetsu though."

Hayama turned around and sent a cold glare Genma's way before smiling briefly at Fuuko. She nodded in response.

"What rank are you? Some people have said Tokubetsu, but I get a feeling that you're Jounin," Aoba commented. "And I also get the feeling that 'adequate' doesn't begin to describe your strength."

"Oi, _I'm_ supposed to be the flirt here," Genma scolded the dark-haired Tokubetsu Jounin, who chuckled in response.

Fuuko smiled at the display. "So?" Anko walked over and plopped herself right in front of Fuuko, eyeing the blonde. "Answer the question. I'm pretty curious myself."

"Hmm… Well, I'm a Jounin, yes."

Anko quirked an eyebrow. "And…?"

Fuuko grinned, though no one could see it. "That was the only question that was asked." The snake mistress' brow furrowed in confusion for a moment, but her eyebrows shot up into her hairline when realization hit.

"BAH!" Anko yelled frustratedly, "I swear, what is with cheeky blondes today!?"

"You're too fun to tease, Anko-san," Fuuko commented. The snake mistress gaped at the blonde before turning a deep shade of red.

"YOU! YOU set the little brat on me, didn't you!? You TOLD him to be a cheeky little…!"

"Now now, I didn't tell him to do anything," Fuuko tried placating the woman.

The other Jounin and Tokubetsu Jounin leaned in, trying to figure out what they were talking about. "What brat?" Genma questioned.

Anko froze and paled, looking between Genma and Fuuko, who shook her head. "Oh, it's nothing, Genma-san. I'd rather not talk about it, and I'm pretty certain Anko-san agrees." She turned to the purple-headed Kunoichi. "Right?"

Her response was a rather vigorous nod. She wondered about that, but decided that it wasn't of any particular importance.

"What? 'Genma-san'? 'Anko-san'?" Everyone turned to Kakashi, who gave a fake pout(and honestly, it just didn't look right on the famed copy-nin). "Why do _they_ get honorifics?"

Fuuko waved her hand dismissively. "Because they just do. And you just don't."

There was a pause.

"… Oh?" Genma wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "You said that the lady was your friend, Kakashi, but is it possible that she is your _ladyfrie_—"

"No." Fuuko interrupted, inwardly cringing at the idea. She loved Kakashi, yes, but more like an older brother—maybe an uncle—and she was _not _into incest.

Aoba exaggerated a cringe as he pat the silver-haired Jounin on the shoulder. "Ouch. You were shot down hard, Kakashi."

"… Er, so," Fuuko decided to move on from the rather awkward topic. The thought of love had never crossed her mind, and the thought of her being shoved together with her _teacher_ was just… "Who are the rest of the Jounin here?"

"Ah," Hayate was the one to speak, "well, there's Tekuno Kanden in the corner over there with Hayama. There's also—"

Suddenly, the air constricted and everyone froze. Fuuko knew the familiar sensation; it wasn't very powerful—the user was most likely holding back—but it was still there. Killing intent. Everyone turned to the door and in walked Nara Shikaku, his eyes directly on Fuuko. Without flinching, she stood up and nodded her head. She owed the man an apology for not introducing herself sooner, and any anger he had was warranted; she could bet her life that the paperwork that he probably had to deal with, courtesy of her, wasn't pretty.

"Jounin Commander. I apologize for not coming to greet you personally before now." She stared straight into his eyes, undaunted. "My name is Namikaze Fuuko. I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance." She didn't bow. Oh, she knew what the man was capable of, and she knew that he was formidable. But she wasn't supposed to know, not yet, and like with most high-ranking officials she met while Hokage, she refused to bow to anyone that had yet to prove themselves in her eyes. In the eyes of many she probably seemed like a foolish rookie with a large bravado, but she refused to discard her _tradition_ simply to conform to social norms.

The two had something of a staring contest, assessing the other. The Jounin and Tokubetsu around them fidgeted and sweat from the intensity of their silent battle. Eventually, Shikaku broke into a smirk.

"I see. Nara Shikaku." He walked closer and took an empty seat, causing some of the nearby Jounin to flinch at the proximity. Fuuko raised an eyebrow at this; the man had a strong hold on his Jounin when needed, she had to give him that. "So, let's get to the point. I'm going to ask you a few questions, and you will answer."

The blonde narrowed her eyes. She couldn't tell if he was still measuring her to see if she was someone to be trusted, or if he was assessing her of her rank. "… That is acceptable."

Shikaku folded his fingers. "So, I've heard that you wandered into Konoha at the age of nine. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Fuuko replied. 'So, Jijii gave him the cover story,' she mused. 'He's probably looking for holes, then.' _He doesn't trust me._

"How old are you, right now?" Shikaku questioned.

"I'm twenty."

"Why do you wear that mask? Shouldn't you have turned it in when you left ANBU?" He questioned. _Are you hiding something?_

Fuuko tilted her head to the side. "I already told these guys here that I'm just used to it. Wearing this mask does _wonders_ for remaining inconspicuous, you know." _I am, and you don't know what._

His lip twitched. "Hmm… Tell me, what was… 'Kushi's' favourite food?" _Were you as close to _them_ as you claim?_

Fuuko laughed. "Why, ramen, of course. Miso, to be specific, and she could eat mountains of the stuff." _More than you think._

"Are you aware of…_ His_ legacy?" This earned a few confused murmurs amongst the other Jounin, and Kakashi twitched.

Fuuko stiffened, and her eyes narrowed. 'What are you getting at?' She realized that her reaction wasn't the most intelligent, as Shikaku smirked deviously. Like the cat that cornered the mouse.

"Hmm…" Shikaku tapped his leg. "Would you use someone to accomplish a goal? Even if that someone was a child?"

'I would use myself,' she thought dryly. He was talking about Naruto, talking about her. It was frustrating, this little game that she had to play with the Nara Clan head. She decided to reply honestly. "I wouldn't put my trust in a child, I wouldn't even _dream_ that a child could accomplish my dream."

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Shikaku quipped and Fuuko's eye twitched in irritation. "Let me rephrase my question, then. Would you use a monster, one with unimaginable power, to accomplish your dream?"

Fuuko felt Kurama growl and hushed him. Kurama was _not_ a monster, and she knew that Shikaku thought of him as more of a "beast" than an honest-to-goodness "monster." He was trying to get her to spill the truth. He was just prodding at the wrong angle. "No." She replied honestly, again. She wouldn't use a "monster" to accomplish her goals; she would use the bonds and strength her _friends_ gave her to accomplish her goals.

Shikaku's eyes narrowed, and he growled. "Can you honestly say that? Say that you have no hidden agenda? That you are _loyal to Konoha_? _Tell me the truth_." The barest hint of Killing Intent was felt.

Fuuko gaped slightly, shocked. She didn't know what she had done or said to warrant such suspicion from the Jounin Commander. He was absolutely _livid_, by Nara standards. Rarely did they ever express such blatant anger, or irritation, or… _Hatred_. 'Why?' She thought to herself, her mind reviewing over everything she knew about the Jounin Commander. 'What did I do?' As far as she knew, she didn't have any contact with any Nara when she came back to the past. She also knew that, prior to her coming back, her younger counterpart hadn't done anything, either. She was certain that she hadn't done _anything_ to warrant the man's demeanor, and she felt a bubbling rage build up within her. 'What the _hell_ did I do?'

Yes, what did she do?

She came to the past to protect her loved ones. Was the so terrible? She wanted to save them, save all of them, and yet, and yet… He questioned her _loyalty_? Her, someone who had sacrificed so much, given so much, lost everything, for the village of Konoha—he _dared_ to question _her_ loyalty?

Where the _fuck_ does he get off, acting like _she's_ the enemy—

'—No,' Fuuko breathed. 'No, no no no. It's not his fault. It's not anyone's fault. It's not—'

It _is_ someone's fault.

_She stood in the middle of the barren wasteland, staring up at the clear sky. By normal standards, it would've been considered a beautiful day, but there was no one to appreciate it._

_Everyone truly was gone. She had searched and searched, opened every damned husk in sight, and absolutely no one was alive. Some of the bodies_—_the chunks of flesh_—_she had turned up had left her feeling utterly sickened._

_But what was most pronounced, the emotion she felt was prevalent across the entire surface of the damned world, was loneliness. She was alone, everyone was dead. Everyone was dead, and she could blame it on Madara, she could blame it on Tobi, on Zetsu, on Kaguya._

_But deep down she knew. It was not _them_ who had failed everyone, it wasn't them who failed everyone she cared for._

_It was _her_ fault._

'—my fault. It's…n… It _is_…' Her eyes widened as she recalled the crushing memory she had tried to suppress. '... My fault. It's _my_ fault.'

She stared at Shikaku, wide-eyed. '… God damnit. God DAMN it.' She had tried her absolute best to repress the memories. Repress the feelings of crushing guilt. She had, supposedly, discarded them when she traveled back to the past. Those seven years were spent trying to _forget_, to _move on_, to _accept_ the fact that she had failed once, and to realize that she was _going back to change everything_ for the better.

The events of the past week came crashing down on her, and she felt exhaustion settle within her bones, accompanied by the sadness and pure anger. A week of traveling, then she came home to a menial mission wherein she heard her mother's family slandered by people that were_ supposed_ to be her friends, then she realized that she was still afraid, and when she actually tried to do something about it she was interrupted. She traveled to the past to change the future, to make sure that everyone that she loved continued to live, and yet they returned the favor—everyone, every, last, one of them—by watching her with disgust, suspicion, hatred….

Gasps caused Fuuko to snap out of her thoughts. She was standing up, when that happened she did not know, and everyone was looking at her with looks of horror, fear… Pity? She followed the gaze of the majority and looked at her hands. She peeled her fingers out of her tight fists and watched with morbid awe as blood poured out of the crescent-shaped wounds—her nails had actually _dug through the fabric_ of her gloves—dripping to the floor and forming small crimson pools.

Fuuko flicked away the liquid and looked up at the Nara with a frigid gaze. "My loyalty lies with the fresh leaves of Konoha. I will not lie, _Nara-sama_, I am rather insulted that you would think otherwise. But despite my misgivings with your… _method_ of finding out the truth, I understand your concern." She glanced at the door and her voice fell below a whisper. "I'll take my leave."

She spun on her heel and walked towards the exit, vaguely registering the sensation of someone reaching out to her before she Shunshin'd out of the building, breaking into a hurried run in no particular direction.

...

… And _that_ was why Naruto(henge'd as Fuuko) was, at the moment, spouting expletives like she wouldn't wake up tomorrow morning.

Honestly, she couldn't say she was all that angry, though. No, "angry" didn't even _scratch the surface_. Frustrated, confused, sad, borderline depressed, yes. Angry, she could've dealt with. All she would've had to do was go to the training grounds and blow a few trees up, maybe leave a few craters in her wake. But _no_, she felt like she wanted to cry, beat something, yell, rip her hair out, and lie on her bed in the fetal position, all at once.

Her mind wandered and she wondered if she was about to start her period. It would explain the mood shift, albeit only slightly. She never _was_ the type to feel major changes during her cycle.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she collided with a wall… No, it wasn't a wall, but it was a person. The two fell into the empty streets in a tangle of limbs, and Fuuko groaned when she recognized who it was.

"Kakashi, what the fuck." She wasn't in any mood to deal with the copy-nin. "Are you bringing me in? I'm pretty sure that, other than disrespecting the man, I didn't do anything that would warrant arrest," she hissed, partly because of the situation and partly because she was pretty sure that impact to her shoulder was going to leave it rather sore in the morning.

Kakashi rubbed the growing bruise on the back of his head and quirked his eyebrow at her. "… What?"

Fuuko growled. "I. Didn't. Do. Anything. And I'm pretty sure the Hokage will back me up in this—"

"Wait, Fuuko," Kakashi attempted to placate her. "I'm not here to, uh. Bring you in, or anything. I wanted to apologize, and I'm here to bring you back because—"

"I don't want to talk right now," Fuuko snapped. She had a seal to make and her mind was already working out the diagram that she could remember. 'Maybe I should add a Wind barrier in the fourth quadrant, that might help to counter the foreign chakra and balance out my own purifying chakra…'

The silver-haired Jounin sighed as he stood up, offering Fuuko a hand. She stared at the appendage. "… Well?"

Fuuko didn't take his hand and stood up to dust herself off. Kakashi simply shrugged. "… Look, Kakashi, I'm sorry but I'm a colossal bitch right now because I realized a few things that I really didn't need to realize at this point. It just added more shit to my plate that I did not want to deal with."

Kakashi eye-smiled as he pointed to himself. "Maybe I can help?"

Fuuko shook her head. "No. I don't have the time, I have this seal I want to finish before it gets too late. I need to get home to do so, so… I'll see y—"

"Maybe I can help," Kakashi repeated. "I know some Fuuinjutsu. While we work on it, we can talk."

Fuuko's brow furrowed and she wondered if the man in front of her was a fake. Kakashi was _never_ this outwardly supportive when she knew him. He always gave his support in inconspicuous ways; he used methods to aid her, Sakura, and Sasuke that wouldn't be discovered until days, weeks, months, sometimes _years_ later. Most of all, he was never the type to _sit down and talk_. Trying to imagine Kakashi having a bastardized healing circle, "we all talk about our problems and cry it out" was almost like trying to imagine Madara in a frilly pink dress skipping around yelling, "I'm a pretty pink princess." … Okay, not _that _bad, but still.

"Well?" Kakashi looked at her expectantly, and she realized she was gaping somewhat. Her jaw shut with an audible "click," causing Kakashi to snicker a little. Jerk.

Fuuko sighed, starting off towards the apartment the Sandaime provided for her. "Fine. I guess… That's fine. I'm kicking you out at 22:00 though, I don't intend on going to sleep any later."

"Yes, yes," Kakashi hummed, falling into step beside her.

A small smile graced Fuuko's face. She could almost imagine two other figures, one the apprentice of Tsunade with her brilliant pink hair and equally brilliant mind and personality. The other with his dark hair and eyes, equally dark mood, but hidden love and care that he showed on occasion for his teammates.

She missed Team 7.

Despite herself, even though she knew they would be different… Even though she usually abhorred the idea of going back to square one with the two of them…

She couldn't wait for Team 7 to become a reality, once again.

* * *

**Omake - "What Happened Last Night"**

* * *

**A/N: Takes place after the little "confrontation" at the Jounin HQ between Fuuko and Shikaku. Okay so, **_**technically**_** this actually happened. Couldn't find a place to fit it in the actual story, though, so BAM it's an Omake. Kinda. Not really. You get the point. Features SUPER VAGUE—as in, if you squint and tilt your head, you MIGHT see it—(Naruto)Fuuko/Kakashi. Honestly, thinking about logistics that is so damn creepy, adult-mind-in-child's-body be DAMNED. She's still physically 11 in this.**

**There really is no romance though. Seriously. I like to think of it more like, "oh hey, friendship and stuff. Yay."**

* * *

"Well, we're here," Fuuko announced with sarcastic cheer. "Excuse any dust-bunnies. I haven't been here for a few weeks, give-or-take-a-month, you see."

Kakashi coughed as he entered the apartment. "W-what? A _month_?" His single eye was tearing up slightly, and Fuuko rolled her eyes.

"Yes, a few weeks. I've been running missions, in case you didn't know," she walked over to the kitchen area. A cloud of dust greeted her and she felt the tingling urge to sneeze. "… Wow. This is pretty bad."

"Yes," Kakashi replied curtly from the living room.

"… Ugh, fine. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Five clones popped into existence and Fuuko pointed at each one. "You, clean the kitchen so I can make some tea. You, clean the living room. You, clean the bathroom—and try not to look at anything, I'd rather not have that visual when you pop. You two, clean the bedrooms." The five saluted and went off to their assigned directions as Fuuko grabbed her sealing materials and walked back into the living room, where Kakashi stood, trying his best to not breathe.

"Pansy." She watched as her clone rushed by with the vacuum cleaner, moving quickly and efficiently. Fuuko spread out her materials on a clean area of floor and got to work.

"So," Kakashi walked over to a freshly dusted couch, seemingly happy that he was not accosted by a cloud of dust. "What are the "few things" that you realized?"

Fuuko rolled her eyes as she drew the base of the diagram. "It's nothing."

"It certainly didn't seem like nothing."

A pause.

"Alright. Why do they bother you so much? Why were they 'added to the plate' instead of just discarded?"

Fuuko hesitated before continuing to work on her seal. Why indeed. She knew it was guilt, but she had thought she dealt with the issue before she traveled to the past. She thought she had worked through her misgivings and managed to move on. She wouldn't have come back to the past if she hadn't thought she was completely free of emotional hindrances, and yet…

"Is it guilt?"

Fuuko sighed and nodded. Her hand did not stop, but she spoke in a low tone. "… Yes, it's guilt. Tell me, Kakashi, what is there to do about something that cannot be erased? Cannot be forgotten? The concept of "moving on" is beautiful, but sometimes, we just cannot. Sometimes, simply living and straining everything to repress is the best we can do. We cannot accept what has happened, not until we find absolute closure."

She wasn't facing him so she did not notice, but Kakashi's eyes had widened as she spoke. When she finished, he was looking away at the bookshelf.

"… I wouldn't know," he replied honestly.

The clone who had finished cleaning the kitchen walked in with tea, handing a cup to Fuuko and Kakashi. The silver-haired Jounin nodded in thanks as the clone dispersed itself. "Hmm," Kakashi nodded approvingly as he sipped the tea. "It's a nice experience to be waited on by pretty blondes."

Fuuko froze for a second before scoffing. "You don't even know what I look like." She tapped her mask, not bothering to face him as she painted her diagrams. "Mask. Remember?" The comment had unnerved her, she had to admit, but not for reasons that most would think. She had already gotten over the fact that her teacher was not exactly as she remembered him. Whether or not that was because she was "Fuuko," a fellow Jounin instead of "Naruto," his student, remained to be seen, and didn't matter too much to her. No, what got to her was the fact that, in the future-past, she had been told that she looked like a _replica_ of her father, Namikaze Minato. A somewhat more effeminate(her father had been teased for looking rather feminine already) Minato with longer hair and a slightly more cherub-ish face. Even if he didn't see her face, the idea that Kakashi thought of _her_, someone who had been confused with father a handful of times, _pretty_, was immensely weird. Especially since her father was the silver-haired man's Jounin sensei.

Kakashi hummed. "Maybe you'll show me?"

Fuuko snorted while dipping her brush into the ink. She wondered if she should try using the brushes her parents left her, someday. "An eye for an eye." _Like he'd ever show me._

"Sure."

Fuuko froze mid stroke, and she cursed when she realized the rather major mistake she had made. "Fuck, I almost had it too," she muttered. She scrapped the scroll and brought out a clean one, easily replicating the almost-complete seal.

Kakashi leaned over her shoulder from where he was seated and watched. "You're very good," he commented.

"Thanks," she replied absently.

Her mind was already focused on the seal in front of her, and she spared not even a shred of attention for her sensei. 'Hmm, maybe I should go for Water or Lightning. Fire and Earth are definitely out; the former is destructive and I'd rather not burn her to a crisp. Earth is the least malleable out of all of the elements.' A couple of strokes. 'Lightning would be the easiest to manipulate, but it isn't exactly a benign element… Water is the best choice, I think. Easy to manipulate, and the body is composed of mostly water.' A few more strokes in the second quadrant. 'Yep, water it is.'

"What is that for?"

Fuuko jumped, but luckily her brush was hovering over the paper. Her seal was safe, and there was no wasted ink. She leveled a glare at the Hatake through her mask and growled. "Kakashi, I'm not hosting a Fuuinjutsu master class here. You came here to help me, not to question me."

Kakashi chuckled. "But you're clearly a certified master of Fuuinjutsu. I didn't think you were working with such advanced theory. Honestly, any input I give would be about as helpful as a Genin giving Taijutsu tips to Gai."

Fuuko smiled at that before resuming her work.

Silence.

Kakashi spoke in a quiet tone, breaking the quiet that had settled. "… What do you mean by "absolute closure"?"

Fuuko shrugged. "Whatever element it is that one needs to move on. The key to the puzzle." She lifted up her almost-complete seal for him to see. He leaned in to study the intricate design. "Just like this. The seal is aimed towards countering other seals, seals that permeate the skin and alter the chakra network. 'Poison can hold the answer to it's cure.' Naturally, my seal will have to just as invasive as the seal it's countering, so I needed to find an element that I could work with. Wind is my affinity, and I had to choose another element from Fire, Earth, Water, and Lightning. Obviously Fire is out, since I don't want the subject to burn to a crisp. Earth is a little too stiff for this. Lightning might cause convulsions and other unwanted side-effects. Water is the best choice, the key to completing my seal."

She set her scroll back down and completed the seal, happy with her work.

"Why the main elements? Couldn't other elements be used?"

"Mm, it's an idea," Fuuko explained, "but it's best to use elements that the user is familiar with, _especially_ for this kind of seal since the element nature is channeled through the chakra used. If I were to try, say, adding Magma in a seal, it would most likely rebound and melt me _and_ the subject, inside out."

Kakashi blinked. "You can use all five of the primary elements?"

"I've _mastered_ all five of the primary elements," Fuuko drawled.

Kakashi blinked again. "Wait… _What_?"

"You heard me."

She didn't bother turning around, but she could feel his gaze boring a hole in the back of her head. "But that's… _How_? It takes years to master even _one_ nature transformation, even one that isn't a fundamental weakness of the user." Kakashi combed a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated groan. "Heck, even with my Sharingan I've only mastered three; Katon isn't quite there, and I've never been able to properly use Fuuton."

Fuuko beamed beneath her mask. Kakashi had never complimented her progress so blatantly in her past. Heck, he never complimented_ anyone._ The closest she had gotten was when he had told her and Sakura, "you've improved." She'd be lying if she said that hearing praise from the man wasn't _extremely_ gratifying.

"Thanks," she waved off the lingering elation, "but I've completed my seal. Time to go, lightning-boy."

Kakashi had opened his mouth to press the issue about her mastery on Nature Transformation but halted at the mention of her seal. "Oh? It's done?"

"Yeah, and it's better than ever, too!" Fuuko chirped. She gazed fondly at her work; even if it wasn't one of her more complex seals, probably only around high B-Rank or low A-Rank, she still loved it. Her appreciation for seals was a reason why she never made them on the fly. If she was placed in the middle of the battlefield with a scroll and ink, she would be too busy admiring her work to realize an enemy was behind her, ready to reduce her to various chunks of viscera.

… Okay, she wasn't _that_ bad, but the more complex seals shouldn't be made in the middle of a battlefield, anyway.

Kakashi took one last look at the scroll before standing up, shaking his head. "… Yeah, it's a little too complicated for me to make out completely. You explained to me the theory, but I think I'd have to put in a few more years of Fuuinjutsu study before I could break this one apart." He whistled. "A master of Nature Transformation and Fuuinjutsu. You're just full of surprises."

"Oh, enough of the praises," Fuuko waved a hand dismissively before going back to looking at the seal. "But yeah, this one is layered. Only two layers, but still layered nonetheless. One is a failsafe to prevent it from backfiring on me or the subject. The other is the seal's main purpose."

A short silence descended between the two as Fuuko ogled her work.

"You know," Kakashi drawled. "I was serious."

Fuuko looked up from her completed scroll, still drunk on the happiness of having completed it. "Hmm?"

"I'd show you my face if you showed me yours." He clarified. And with that, he disappeared in a poof of smoke.

Fuuko stared at the empty space that the silver-haired Jounin once occupied before heaving a sigh. Even if she changed her Chihenge's face to look different from her twenty-year-old self, she wouldn't do it. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't still somewhat curious about what her sensei looked like under the mask, but childish curiosity was something easily discarded when weighed against the integrity of her plan. "Fuuko" had to become someone well known, someone powerful. Someone _elusive_. And befriending Kakashi would put a damper on that plan.

Fuuko sighed, rolling up the scroll and preparing it for delivery. She had to wait. She couldn't meet him, not yet, otherwise she risked ruining the timeline.

Naruto could wait. She'd have her sensei back eventually. She just had to wait.

* * *

**A/N: Naruto is physically 11 AND SUPER ILLEGAL.**


	6. Interlude - Shikaku

**Rating: T for angst, teenage-level-misunderstandings, and language. I think.**

**A/N: ****Shikaku's perspective and reasoning. Honestly, I didn't think the first interlude would be centered around Shikaku, a character who wasn't supposed to have such a large role. Oh well, just going where my muse(and rather short-attention-span imagination) takes me. I promise it won't take us into uncharted territory like, "let's kill off everyone"**

**._.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Interlude - Shikaku**

**A couple weeks ago...**

"A 'new Jounin'?" Inoichi questioned, his voice heavy with incredulity. "And it took you _how many_ months to come to me to ask?"

Shikaku sighed as he rubbed his temples. "Inoichi, don't. I know. Just tell me what you know."

The Nara clan head was annoyed. He had been hearing whispers about some 'new Jounin' for a while, but dismissed them as simple rumors. It was foolish of him to do so, he _knew_ that. It didn't seem too important, however, and prior to his talk with Inoichi he hadn't found any leads to point him in the direction of the rumored Jounin who, unlike what he had first assumed, _wasn't_ simply a rumor conjured up by the masses.

In his defense, the typical protocol for potential Jounin Promotees is for said promotee to file a request for an evaluation in the form of a proctored spar, a solo B-Rank mission and a joint A-Rank mission with other candidates. There were also the older methods(of which were used when the number of applicants was more manageable) wherein the candidates could have a one-on-one spar with a Jounin of the Hokage's or Jounin Commander's choosing, or be evaluated by said individuals. Typically, recommendations were required for any of these. The point? Shikaku should have gotten the paperwork, or should have at the very least been _notified_ about the addition of a new Jounin to the ranks. A new Jounin under _his_ command.

Regardless, he saw his own error now—even _rumors_ should be followed up on and verified—and he regretted it. The fact that it took him three months to follow up on something under his jurisdiction, to follow up on a new Jounin to the ranks, was something that would likely haunt him for the rest of his life.

Inoichi smirked. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen you this harried, Shika. And I know for a fact that you've never been this disorganized; you've always been a frustratingly organized and put-together man, despite your laziness. Maybe old age is finally getting to you, eh? Time to finally hang up your vest—"

"Inoichi," Shikaku growled. The blonde held his two hands in front of him in a placating gesture.

"Okay okay." Inoichi crossed his arms and sat back in his chair, chewing on his lip. "Well, let me ask you something first. Why did you come to _me_ instead of the Hokage?"

"Because," Shikaku drawled, "the rumor mill says_ you_ were one of the first people to meet this 'new Jounin.' Not to mention, I highly doubt Hokage-sama would be willing to impart any of the information _I_ want."

Inoichi raised an eyebrow. "And what _is_ the information you want?"

"Name, gender, age, specialty, mission history, medical files, address," Shikaku numbered off easily, "everything I need to get a good read on this _Jounin_."

Inoichi scratched his chin, contemplating something. "Hmm… Well, I think it's okay to tell you that this Jounin is a she. Everything else though…? I'm afraid I don't have the authority to tell you."

"Oh?" The Nara clan head tapped the table. "And why is that?"

"What?"

"Why can't you tell me? As the head of interrogation, I'd think—"

"Retired head, that's Ibiki now," Inoichi interrupted.

"You know what I mean," Shikaku deadpanned.

Inoichi sighed as he swirled the lukewarm tea in the ceramic cup. "It's classified as an S-Class secret. Everything _important_ about her, that is."

Shikaku contemplated his words. Why would the Hokage go to such lengths to hide information on someone? Sure, she was a Jounin, and typically the higher-ranking Shinobi have a penchant for secrecy. But said secrecy was usually up to the person in question; rarely was personal information protected by legal proceedings and classified as a damned _S-Class secret_. Shikaku had been Jounin Commander for the majority of his career, and by rank alone he had a right to the information of his subordinates. Rarely did he ever pull rank to get said information; he usually couldn't care less about the private lives of his subordinates as long as they were trustworthy and got their work done. But this _Jounin_ that had been whispered about throughout his ranks and in the general populace? He knew _nothing_ about her aside from the rumors of questionable worth, and that alone was suspicious.

"Well, you can tell me her name at least," Shikaku drawled. "I'll do the rest from there. I'll find out her name eventually anyway, but I'd rather lessen the work I have to do."

Inoichi coughed, tugging at his collar nervously. "Er, well… I don't… Know her name?"

Shikaku raised an eyebrow. "You don't know her name?"

Inoichi gave a tentative nod, and the conversation lapsed into silence.

"How the _hell_ do you not know her name." It wasn't a question, it was a demand. Inoichi spluttered and broke out into a cold sweat.

"Uh, er, well…. I, I just—" Inoichi stuttered and tried desperately hard to explain himself. 'Nervousness,' Shikaku noted. He filed away the information for later scrutiny and decided to spare his friend.

"Never mind, Inoichi. I'm just going to assume that particular information is part of the classified, Hokage's-eyes-only file; am I correct?"

Inoichi breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah. Sorry."

Shikaku waved a hand dismissively. "You aren't allowed to speak about it. I shouldn't have pushed the issue either way." He paused. "So, about your 'plan'?"

Inoichi brightened. "Ah, that. What about it?"

"Are you going to adopt him or what?"

"Oh, no, not at all," Inoichi corrected, "he'd just be placed under the protection of the Yamanaka clan. That way, he'd be protected from the civilians, and the council wouldn't be able to simply dismiss him as an expendable factor."

"Chouza and I already told you that we'd back you on this," Shikaku stated. "But why? I've met the kid, and he's pretty interesting. But why go so far for him?"

Inoichi gave Shikaku a pained smile. "Shikaku, I know you know why. I know that you _know_. Only the blind wouldn't be able to see his… His heritage."

Shikaku remained silent.

"Even if no one will say it, it's painfully obvious who his parents are. And I—_we _owe both of them so, so much. To take care of him isn't just a favor, it's our _responsibility_. As our respective clans' heads, and as _their friends_." Inoichi placed his hands on the table and stared blankly at them. "I want to protect Naruto, because he deserves someone to do so. Minato and Kushina would've wanted it. And this is the only conceivable way I see that we can repay them."

The two went silent, and Shikaku gave a slow nod.

* * *

"Shikaku-san, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hokage-sama," Shikaku bowed. "I apologize for interrupting your work, but there is a certain _issue_ that has been brought to my attention."

Hiruzen coughed, resulting in Shikaku straightening. "And what is the issue?"

"The 'new Jounin' that I was not informed of," Shikaku replied quickly. "I did not think to believe the rumors because I had not been informed, and I believe I deserve an explanation."

The Sandaime took a puff from his pipe and sighed. "I sincerely apologize for not informing you immediately about Namikaze-san, but her situation warranted a bit of… bending of the rules."

Shikaku flinched. "… 'Namikaze-san'?"

"Ah," Hiruzen nodded, a small smile forming on his lips. "Namikaze Fuuko. She is the new Jounin that you have been hearing about." His eyes glinted with amusement. "You did not know her name?"

The Nara head's eye twitched. "Hokage-sama, I would like to see _Namikaze_-san's file, if you please." Referring to the unknown woman with that name unnerved Shikaku. It just felt… Wrong.

"Oh? And why is that?" Hiruzen questioned.

Shikaku felt a vein pulse on his forehead. "I believe it is within my jurisdiction to know about the Jounin under my command, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen tapped his pipe on an ashtray. "You've never bothered reading the personal files of the other Jounin under your command. It is most curious that you choose to do so for Fuuko-chan."

Shikaku twitched at the sudden change of address from "Namikaze-san" to "Fuuko-chan." The Hokage had referred to her as "Namikaze-san" _on purpose_. "Hokage-sama, with all due respect," Shikaku spoke firmly, "I know nothing about Namikaze Fuuko. I do not know if I can trust her, and all I have to go off of are rumors which, may I say, are none too revealing about her history or personality. Even if she has earned your trust, I prefer to know exactly who it is that I am working with."

Shikaku stared at Hiruzen, who stared back.

The Hokage laughed, to the Jounin Commander's exasperation.

"I apologize Shikaku-san, I just wished to know the truth. You should have just said so to begin with, you needn't be so stiff at your age." Hiruzen chided, and Shikaku wondered when the Hokage had adopted mannerisms comparable to both his blonde successor _and_ said blonde's vibrant legacy. Pranksters, the lot of them; it must be a certain insanity that accompanied the position or yearning for said position of Hokage. "I'm afraid I cannot give you her file, but I can tell you a bit about her background to alleviate any suspicions you may have about her."

Shikaku's eyes narrowed. "That is fine."

"Well then… Where to begin," Hiruzen placed his pipe in the ash tray and sat back, interlacing his fingers. "Fuuko-chan has familial ties to both the Namikaze clan and the Uzumaki clan. Minato had, apparently, found her while on a mission with Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin. She was found near-dead, and the three took care of her. She ended up following them home," Hiruzen spoke amusedly.

"She spent about two years in Konoha, during which I found out about her presence. Minato and Kushina asked me to remain quiet about her, however, to avoid certain… individuals, from taking interest in her prowess."

Shikaku spoke up. "You are saying that she spent two years in Konoha, and no one but you, Kushina, and Minato knew this? How is that possible?"

Hiruzen shook his head. "Minato kept her in one of his safe-houses in the outskirts of Konoha. He wasn't even aware that I had known until I confronted him about it. Even though you were a close friend to Minato, he was still a man that knew how to keep a secret, and I am not surprised that he was able to hide her presence from you."

Shikaku's brow furrowed but he nodded. It was true, Minato was a deceptively sly man. While he was as bright and warm as his sun-like hair, it was no question that he was a man of power, a man that could blindside the most cunning of foes.

"Fuuko-chan… Left, before Obito died. She came back when she was nine looking for Minato and Kushina, only to find that they had already passed at that point. It was then that I accepted her back into Konoha as a formal citizen, but in the shadows of ANBU. It was necessary to keep her in the shadows and unknown; there are many who would want to get ahold of her due to her Uzumaki blood and connection to the Yellow Flash."

"How many years was she in ANBU? And surely she was safe once she reached a certain age?" Shikaku questioned. "If she was nine when she came back, and Minato and Kushina were dead by then… She must be, what, 18, 19? 20 at the oldest? Why have I not heard anything of her until recently?"

"When she was 12, I sent her on an 8-year-long mission. She did not come back until recently, which is why you haven't heard of her until now." The Hokage sighed. "And I cannot tell you any details about this mission. It is of Kage-level secrecy for a reason."

The Nara head contemplated the information he was given. There were no holes(none of useful significance, at least) in what Hiruzen had said, and her heritage truly did explain why she was hidden away, even from his network.

That did not mean, however, that "Namikaze Fuuko" was cleared of all suspicion.

The story had no obvious holes, yes. It was perfect. A little too perfect and well thought out, in Shikaku's opinion, with the exception of one glaring hole in the story. What kind of mission would take 8 years, and what kind of 8-year-long mission would be given to a 12-year-old ANBU? ANBU worked in groups, typically, unless the person being assigned the mission was a captain or the mission was of low importance and risk. There was high doubt that "Namikaze Fuuko" was an ANBU captain at 12, and an 8-year-long mission could not be written off as something of little importance and with few risks.

What a truly, truly convenient story.

Regardless, he realized that he got as much information out of the Hokage as he would get. With a bow, he exited the office, thinking about his next course of action.

* * *

He knew that he was scaring the piss out of his subordinates(Inoichi, Chouza, and some of the other senior Jounin members had oh-so-kindly informed him of such), but he didn't care.

For a handful of days, Shikaku had been going around, trying to gather as much information on Namikaze Fuuko that he could. Door to door, asking every Shinobi and their _mother_, starting small-talk with as many individuals he could to try and pry any tidbits of knowledge from them. He even held a surprise Jounin Evaluation, in which ALL Jounin were required to come. When Fuuko had not arrived, he stormed the Hokage's office and asked why she hadn't, and the Hokage oh-so-happily informed him that she was out on a mission.

His sudden un-Nara change of mannerisms(displayed by the busy-body methods of getting as much information as possible) had shocked many, but his current mood caused most if not all of his subordinates to clear the path as soon as they saw him.

Yes, Shikaku was feeling rather irritated, and in his opinion, he had every right to be.

His hunt for information turned up almost nothing of use.

Puzzles, mind games and investigations were amusing when something turned up. For Shikaku, that was usually always the case.

Very few people had seen her, and even fewer actually knew who she was. "Blonde with a ponytail," "Blonde with a weird mask and strange flak jacket," "Always has a scroll on her back." Her different-from-usual wardrobe had always garnered attention, apparently, but very few people had actually interacted with her. He didn't find out anything about her habits, mannerisms, personality. And it was _frustrating_.

The only useful bit of information he had managed to gain was that her face had never been seen, quite literally. She always wore her ANBU mask, for whatever reason, and absolutely _no one_ knew what she looked like. Even when she was seen wandering the streets, taking in the sights. That alone was highly suspicious, especially of an off-duty Jounin.

He couldn't wait to finally meet "Namikaze Fuuko." He had many, many questions for her.

* * *

Another day of turning the village upside down in his search for information, and he gained nothing.

Shikaku combed a hand through his gravity-defying ponytail; he could really go for a drink.

"Shikaku!" A cheery voice called out. Shikaku cocked his head back to look at his friend.

Inoichi bounded up to Shikaku and placed an elbow on the Nara's shoulder, laughing. "So, I heard that you've been upturning every stone in your search. You've got half the Jounin corps scared of their shadows, and the other half constantly checking their backs. Any success?"

The Nara scoffed. "They have good reason to be scared, I'll assure you. I haven't been the most pleasant lately, and everything is so god damn _troublesome_."

"Ah," Inoichi nodded sagely. "So, it hasn't been going well."

The Nara clan head sighed, and Inoichi laughed.

"Well, cheer up. I've got some intel that you'd find rather… Useful."

Shikaku's head whipped around to look at his friend, who took a step back at the sudden attention the Nara was aiming at him. "… Whoa, Shikaku. You're pretty high-strung right now. Maybe you should take a week off to unwind...?"

Shikaku pinched the bridge of his nose and turned back to face his front. "Can you blame me? _Never_ has information been so damn difficult to get ahold of for me. The few times it has, I was able to just move on and forget because it wasn't my business, or simply send someone off to T&amp;I to _get_ the information I wanted. But this is about a Jounin who, may I remind you, is under my command. Something just isn't right, and it's _bothering_ me."

Inoichi stared. "… Wow. That's definitely something, to get you so riled up and kick you out of your usual laziness," he commented. He shoved his hands into his pockets and hummed. "Well, about that information. Apparently, her name is _Namikaze_ Fuuko—"

"I really, _really_ hope that _her name_ isn't the 'information' you were talking about. Because I already found that out," Shikaku deadpanned.

Inoichi chuckled with mirth. "Hah, don't worry. Though, if you know her name, then I'm guessing you know her, uh, _past_. And heritage."

The Nara head nodded.

"Alright. Well, get this; I don't know how long it's been going on for, but Fuuko-san is apparently Uzumaki Naruto's mentor."

Shikaku studied his friend askance. "… And you're _okay_ with that?"

Inoichi raised an eyebrow. "Eh? Well… Yeah, I guess. Why?"

Shikaku stared at his friends for a few disbelieving moments before palming his face. "Inoichi. Are you _serious_..? We know almost _nothing_ about this woman, who just _happened_ to fall into Konoha and, according to you, just happened to become the mentor of the _Jinchuuriki_. You cannot seriously be thinking that none of this is suspicious_ at all_."

"… Oh," Inoichi replied lamely. He scratched the back of his head and gave a nervous smile. "… Er, I get your worry, but… I don't know, Shikaku, I think you're over-thinking things. Something like Fuuko-san being a spy or a traitor is a little—"

"Then where do you get your confidence that she _isn't_?" Shikaku questioned. "I know that the chances are low, and honestly, I don't know what to think about the fact that she has both your and _the Hokage's_ unadulterated trust. I think _that alone_ is setting off red flags in my mind. I just know there is _something _that I'm missing, _something_ that hasn't _clicked_ yet, and it's bothering me. I need to know, Inoichi."

Inoichi stared at his friend for a few moments before sighing. "… It's not my call to tell you anything, Shikaku. I'll admit, you're right, there is something that you're missing. Honestly, the fact that you caught that much only proves that you're mind is too sharp for your own good." He scratched his chin and looked up at the sky. "… Talk to her. You'll see for yourself how she is, you'll see the truth. She's… She's a good kid, in my opinion."

* * *

**The day of...**

"Mitarashi Anko."

The Kunoichi whirled around, a questioning look on her face. The look immediately dissipated and she went wide-eyed at the realization of who it was that addressed her. "Uh… Yeah? S-Shikaku?"

"Don't act so nervous, I just have a few questions," Shikaku drawled.

Anko gave a tentative nod. "Okay, what is it?"

"I heard that you saw Uzumaki Naruto earlier today?" He questioned.

"… Wow, news travels fast," Anko murmured. "Uh, yeah, I did."

"What can you tell me about Namikaze Fuuko and her relationship with Uzumaki Naruto?" He was in no mood for roundabout conversations, he wanted answers. Now.

Anko's brow furrowed. "Namikaze… Fuuko…?" Her eyes widened. "Oh! The kid's mentor!"

Shikaku frowned. So it was true.

"Um, well, yeah she's his mentor, and…" Anko's brow furrowed in concentration. "Ah, the kid is good at Fuuinjutsu. Apparently, this Fuuko chick taught him. Really good, too, or so the brat said."

Alarms went off in Shikaku's mind. 'She's teaching a _Jinchuuriki_ about seals?' He thought. "What else?"

"Well, she taught the brat how to do this transferral seal thingy that made the pain of my seal go away for a while," she stretched her left arm in a show of the lack of pain. "It's really awesome! I wanna find the brat to do it again the next time it acts up."

Shikaku nodded. "Anything else? Do you know where they meet, or how long Naruto has been under… _Namikaze_-san's tutelage?"

Anko frowned. "Nah, sorry. The kid only said so much, and even that was supposedly an S-Rank—" she slapped a hand over her mouth and her eyes grew into large saucers. A muffled, "OH SHIT" was heard.

Before Shikaku could question her more, the snake mistress Shunshin'd away, leaving him with the meager information he had managed to gain.

* * *

The Hokage placed his pipe in the ashtray. "Am I correct in assuming this is about Fuuko-chan?"

Shikaku nodded. "Yes, I'll get right to the point," he sat down and interlaced his fingers. "_Namikaze_-san is teaching Naruto Fuuinjutsu. Is this true?" He had come back to the Hokage's office after his chat with Anko to confirm what he had learned, in the hopes of gaining more information to make the problem more "soluble."

An amused smirk crossed the Hokage's face, causing Shikaku's train of thought to crash. _Why the hell is he smirking?_ "Yes, that is true."

"… And you're _allowing_ it?" Shikaku questioned, shocked. He wasn't simply surprised by the fact that it was true, but by the fact that the Hokage made no effort to hide the fact that, yes, he was allowing it. The gears within his mind were working faster than ever.

"Shikaku-san, may I suggest something?"

Shikaku paused his thought process. "… Yes?"

Hiruzen tapped the arm of his chair. "Find Hatake Kakashi. He seems to have an easier time tracking Fuuko-chan down, and I think it's about time that you meet her."

There was a pause.

"… She's back?" Shikaku questioned, mouth slightly agape. "She's in the village? Right now?"

"Yes," the Hokage replied amusedly.

Whether his amusement was due to Shikaku's lack of composure or the fact that the Nara bolted before he even said "yes" remained to be seen.

* * *

According to the Hokage, Namikaze Fuuko was a girl that had been hidden away by Minato and Kushina when she followed the former back to Konoha. She had left at the age of 6, came back at 9, and entered ANBU. From there, she worked missions issued directly from the Hokage, which eventually led up to an 8-year-long mission that she was sent on at the age of 12. She only came back recently, and immediately took a specialized Jounin test to get her promotion.

She had blonde hair, wasn't known personally by any citizens of Konoha(excluding the Hokage), wore a strange flak jacket, constantly wore her mask, and was more elusive than most ANBU Captains.

Considering how long he took, Shikaku didn't end up with much in the ways of information. It bothered him, evident by the tapping of his foot and tightened fists.

He looked at the clock(the 34th time already, if he remembered correctly), absently noting that the sun was most likely setting. He hoped that Kakashi hurried; he wanted to get home in time for dinner.

Shikaku had tracked down the Hatake as Hiruzen had recommended, and Kakashi immediately went off to find the wayward blonde without another word. Shikaku had then headed to the Jounin HQ to wait for their arrival, as he doubted the blonde would've come quietly if he had come as well.

A knock caused Shikaku to draw himself out of his thoughts and focus on the person standing at the threshold of his office. Shikaku gave a small nod in greeting. "Inoichi."

"Shikaku," Inoichi replied, not bothering to walk into the room. "How goes the investigation?"

Shikaku snorted. "I've finally made some headway. I had Kakashi go track her down, and with any luck, she'll be here tonight."

Silence.

"… Shikaku, I have a question for you," Inoichi stated. Shikaku raised an eyebrow and the blonde rubbed his temples. "Why are you going to such lengths for this? Do you think of Fuuko-san as an enemy?"

Shikaku contemplated that. Did he think of the woman as an enemy? He hadn't met her, not yet, and everything about her was shrouded in mystery… No, he didn't think of her as an enemy. In all honesty, he didn't know _what_ to think of her. She was suspicious, she was an unknown factor. He wouldn't say that it was a sense of guilt holding him from passing judgement on the girl, something along the lines of, "I haven't met her and she deserves fair judgement. It won't be fair until I meet her." No, it was not a guilty conscience that kept him from immediately labeling the girl as a neutral party, a potential threat, or an enemy to be disposed of immediately. That judgement would wait until he had actually met her, as information could only get a person so far. "No," Shikaku replied honestly. "I just need to confirm a few things when I talk to her. There are too many questions that I have, too many things that I need to be sure of before I can accept the stories I've been told. Because until I confirm them for myself, they are just that: stories."

Inoichi furrowed his brow at the Nara, who stared back blankly at him. Inoichi sighed. "Look, Shikaku. You and I both know that you are the best mind in the whole Shinobi force. You are able to break apart and analyze things in a manner that would make a Yamanaka proud, whether they are puzzles, battlefield strategies, or the mind of an enemy." He steadied his gaze on the Nara head. "But the thing about the human mind? Once it's broken apart, it's almost impossible to put back together." He picked up a vase that sat in the corner of the room—one of Yoshino's attempts to make Shikaku's office more "homely." "It's like a piece of fine China; it is sturdy to the touch and firmly bound." He tapped the vase with his index finger to emphasize his point. "But, shatter it with a force strong enough, and no matter how you try it will never again be the same. The very element that once kept it sturdy acts as the very same force that disallows the mind to recover it's previous state, because while the human mind is malleable… It is also extremely inflexible. Try as you might, but the shattered pieces will never bond again, and will only serve as glaring weaknesses to future foes."

The Yamanaka sighed as he placed the vase back in it's delegated position. "Be careful what you say and do, please. Fuuko-san isn't… She doesn't deserve more hardship."

Shikaku narrowed his eyes. His friend wasn't telling him everything, that much was obvious. His words all but confirmed it; he knew the same thing that the Hokage knew. That _specific factor_ that Shikaku didn't know, that _key_ that would solve the puzzle. He decided against pursuing it though, as he knew that his friend wouldn't go against protocol of safely guarded S-Rank Secrets.

He would get his answers eventually, anyway.

* * *

"…-lly Namikaze Fuuko, why are you wearing a mask, what's with the flak jacket, and how strong are you?"

Shikaku immediately halted his steps. He recognized all of the chakra signatures within the room… With the exception of one. He wasn't a sensor type, but he was trained enough to recognize familiar signatures when needed, and he was almost certain that the newcomer was exactly who he had been waiting for.

"Yes I am Namikaze Fuuko," a feminine voice cut in, causing Shikaku to tense slightly. "I'm used to it, it's useful and I'm used to it, and I would say… Adequate." His suspicions were confirmed.

She didn't seem to pose any threat, and no maliciousness could be detected in her voice. If the tone the other Jounin and Tokubetsu Jounin were using was any indication, she appeared to be rather well-acclimated in the group. Shikaku pondered his options: go in right now and interrogate her, or wait it out and get a better feel for her personality. He wished so badly to do the former, to finally get the answers that he had been scraping at for the past couple of weeks. The logical strategist within him told him to wait, to gather more information to gain an upper hand.

"… said that you had a lady who was your friend, Kakashi, but is it possible that she is your _ladyfrie_—"

Shikaku gave an inaudible sigh. Any pertinent questions seemed to have gone to the wayside, and he wouldn't gain anything from lingering in the shadows any longer. With a deep breath, he stepped through the threshold and let loose a small fraction of Killing Intent to make himself known. All chatter and banter ceased immediately, as though speared and killed.

His eyes immediately fell on golden hair, held up in a wild ponytail. Her porcelain mask, Ryuu, concealed her face, but Shikaku saw her eyes—they looked to be blue, but with the shadow caused by her mask they could've been green. The woman stood up and nodded, earning a raised eyebrow from Shikaku. The typical reaction to introducing oneself to the Jounin Commander was a formal bow, not a simple nod. Shikaku felt the barest amusement bubble from within.

"Jounin Commander." Her voice was unwavering, a strong equivalent to her fearless gaze. "I apologize for not coming to greet you personally before now. My name is Namikaze Fuuko. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

Shikaku could almost hear the words that her actions spoke, and they left a stronger impression on him than her actual spoke words. "You may be Jounin Commander, but rank alone won't earn my respect. Show me your power, and only then will I bow to you." He smirked. The woman was not one to be trifled with.

"I see," he drawled. "Nara Shikaku." He walked over to a nearby seat, ignoring the flinches of the Jounin he passed. He sat down, his smirk still in place. He was going to finally get the answers he had strove for, and his opponent was one worth fighting. "Being bored" certainly wasn't something he was worried about. "So, let's get to the point. I'm going to ask you a few questions,and you will answer."

The blonde took a few moments, seemingly contemplating his words. "… That is acceptable."

Shikaku grinned. "So, I've heard that you wandered into Konoha at the age of nine. Is that correct?" Verification. She replied as he thought she would, and there were no hints of lying.

"How old are you, right now?" She replied with a bland, "I'm twenty." Shikaku scratched his chin.

"Why do you wear that mask?" He questioned. "Shouldn't you have turned it in when you left ANBU?" He already knew what her scripted answer was. He knew that she would reply with it, too. What he really wanted to know was why she wasn't forced to return it, why she seemed exempt from that rule. Why the Hokage seemed to favor her, and why her story was so damned _convenient_.

She tilted her head to the side. "I already told these guys here that I'm just used to it. Wearing this mask does _wonders_ for remaining inconspicuous, you know." Shikaku almost smiled; he was _amused_. It had been a very, very long time since someone under his command had the gall to act in such a casual, borderline _challenging_ manner.

"Hmm… Tell me, what was…" He couldn't use her actual name. "'Kushi's' favourite food?" He truly wondered, was her background just a cover story, or did she have the information to back it up? Could she really say that she knew Minato and Kushina, as well as her _cover story_ implied?

She laughed. "Why, ramen, of course. Miso, to be specific, and she could eat mountains of the stuff."

Shikaku contemplated her answer. He felt the irritation from earlier bubble up, and her cover story—oh yes, he already knew it was nothing more than that—was getting annoying, what with how perfectly she was able to repeat it verbatim. She showed clear signs that she knew Kushina however; that kind of information couldn't be fed and learned. Not when he knew that, in the presence of others, Kushina typically ordered shio for some reason he couldn't quite remember. Her favourite really _was_ miso, but she only ate it when with those she trusted implicitly. It was irritating that the woman in front of him could back up the _cover story_ so well.

He decided to ask a more daring question, to work towards riling her.

"Are you aware of… _His_ legacy?" He felt something akin to delight when he watched the blonde in front of him stiffen. He was finally getting somewhere. "Hmmm… Would you use someone to accomplish a goal? Even if that someone was a child?" This question was for Minato, for Kushina, for Inoichi. For _Naruto_, the child that was, in a sense, his responsibility to protect.

"I wouldn't put my trust in a child, I wouldn't even _dream_ that a child could accomplish my dream."

"Oh, you'd be surprised," he quipped. Her response disappointed him somewhat, and the conversation had backpedaled. Perhaps a different perspective was needed. "Let me rephrase my question, then. Would you use a monster, one with unimaginable power, to accomplish your dream?"

"No."

Frustration, anger, and irritation ebbed away at Shikaku's composure. He wanted answers, and he was tired of this back and forth game. Perhaps it was frustration that he couldn't quite find solid evidence that it was just a story, but he knew. He knew it wasn't the truth, and _damn it_, he _wanted the truth_.

His eyes narrowed and his fists clenched. He spoke in a dangerous tone. "Can you honestly say that?" _Just who are you?_ "Say that you have no hidden agenda?" _What is your true purpose?_ "That you are _loyal to Konoha_?" _Why are you so trusted? Are you really someone to be trusted?_ "_Tell me the truth._" _That is all I ask_.

Shikaku waited for her answer, and felt minor surprise when she began trembling. Her head bowed slightly, and she remained silent. There was no feeling of anticipation, no feeling of danger being emitted by the girl. Suddenly her head snapped up, and Shikaku saw her eyes, wide and glistening—fear. He saw fear, sadness, _absolute despair_, and _death_ in her eyes. Those eyes, the eyes that belonged to someone who had once lost everything and was struggling to rebuild their life; she had the haunted eyes that should only exist in the most defeated and devastated of souls, those who had lived a lifetime and had seen their loved ones die before them. Not in a young woman, a _girl_. Shikaku felt harsh pangs of guilt wrack his heart as he recalled exactly what he had said, and in the manner he had done so.

A chair clattered and he looked up, seeing her standing. Collective gasps rang through the room and Fuuko snapped out of whatever trance she had been in, slowly peeling her fingers out of her hands—Shikaku winced at the amount of blood pouring from her pale, delicate fingers—and then she looked back at Shikaku, her gaze frigid and devoid of the emotion he had seen before. Her voice was just as icy as her eyes.

"My loyalty lies with the fresh leaves of Konoha. I will not lie, _Nara-sama_," the guilt grew stronger at the blatant derision she interlaced with his title, "I am rather insulted that you would think otherwise. But despite my misgivings with your… _method_ of finding out the truth, I understand your concern." Her voice fell below a whisper. "I'll take my leave."

When she spun on her heel and headed towards the exit, Shikaku vaguely noticed Kakashi going after her.

Several moments of painful silence passed as the occupants of the room looked between their commander and the door before Shikaku finally stood up and murmured a command. "… I'll deal with this." He turned to the remaining Jounin in the room, "you are all dismissed."

Inoichi's words replayed in his head, over and over again, and Shikaku realized that Inoichi couldn't have been more right. He poked and prodded at gaping wounds the girl tried desperately to hide, and he owed her an explanation, at the very least.

* * *

**A/N: Naruto is still physically 11. And a little unstable and angsty. And probably needs counseling. **

**And yeah, the chance of Naru/Kaka is VERY low. Honestly, that Omake wasn't even on purpose, it just ended up that way…(Hence, my preference to view it as a blossoming friendship, instead of a scene with undertones of romance) I will put up a poll at some point to see what people want, but not until most of the characters are introduced and given a backstory.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Conclusions

**Rating: T for language. "Language" being the usual; swearing. But also because of the word "sex." No, there is no dirty business, it's quite literally just the word.**

**A/N: ****Word count ended up being ~9000 excluding the Omake. The next chapter(or Arc in general) needs a lot of work. I have a vague idea of what's going to happen… And I mean **_**vague**_**. It's not even a skeleton, it's like a wireframe. I'll try and update on my progress, to give you guys a rough estimate for how far along I am with each chapter. First, I've gotta work on the course of this Pre-Shippuden arc though, because I really don't want to end up writing this story into a *cough* reinforced brick wall.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or any of the characters in the Narutoverse.  
**

* * *

**Conclusions**

Right punch. Left knee. Low sweep. Upwards kick. Right palm. Left punch. Roundhouse kick. Repeat.

If there was one thing in particular—that was a result of her 'mentorship' with Fuuko—that Naruto was _thankful_ for, it was the fact that she could train and work on her katas in her actual body as opposed to her Chihenge. However, while she was thankful for it, the fact that her now-developed strength was now _useless_ because of her habit for overreaching was a major source of irritation. She _would_ use Kage Bunshin if her 11-year-old body didn't still need conditioning, but alas, it did.

It also didn't help that she was allowing her emotions to speed up her movements and add more power to each thrust.

When going through katas, precision and patience are the most important. But at the moment, Naruto had absolutely _no_ patience. Mostly because the biggest reason for her training, currently, was to get her mind off of the "conversation" she had with the Nara clan head a week ago. She was also trying to forget the little event that happened at the Academy the same day(though this was easier to simply dismiss; forgiving children was much simpler than forgiving a grown man with the knowledge and experience of a Kage).

She also found it rather_ irritating_ that she was bothered by any of this at all. She wasn't _supposed_ to be haunted and plagued by guilt, not _now_. She had figured that the damning feeling would come back to bite her in the ass at some point, but _this soon_? She didn't believe that she was truly so weak-minded, she didn't _want_ to believe so.

The fact that her tenant was strangely absent only worsened things. He was one of her only supports, as he was the only one that knew the absolute truth about her. Kurama's absence affected her in such a way that she didn't know how she had lasted 7 years without his constant presence.

She didn't know exactly _when_ it had become a habit to visit her mind scape and use Kurama as a venting wall whenever she felt stressed, but apparently, it had. So, when she entered her mind scape to talk to him and found that he wasn't there, and she couldn't find him no matter how much she searched, she had realized that the only possible method of getting a release of tension was to do what she usually did: train.

So, train she did. It was already a week after the fact, so she had calmed down considerably. Earlier in the week she had reduced part of the Senju forest and a few training grounds to barren land which earned her a fair scolding from the Hokage, but it was well worth it. It also resulted in a rather interesting rumor about the "Shinigami of the Forest of Death," as a few people had seen her flitting about and wreaking havoc. Some mistook her golden hair as a weapon, apparently, and it was amusing to walk around and hear the civilians bicker about what they believed to be the truth.

The approach of two familiar chakra signatures halted Naruto's movements, and she turned to face them, a small smile stretching across her face. "Yo, Shika! Chou! Are you guys here to train, too?"

They jogged up to Naruto, Shikamaru grinning and Chouji frowning. "I told you not to call me that, Naru…"

Naruto pat the Akimichi on the back, her smile fueled by memories of Chouji's butterfly-like chakra form. "Aw, c'mon Chou, it's not that bad."

Chouji gave a small pout and Shikamaru coughed, getting the attention of the other two. "Nicknames aside, we actually came here for you, Naru."

She tilted her head to the side. "Oh? What did you guys need?"

Almost immediately, their guards went up, and the blonde had to suppress a twitch from the rather sudden and awfully _obvious_ change in their moods. Shikamaru scratched the back of his head and looked away. Chouji did the rather Hinata-esque motion of pointing his index fingers together.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "O-kay, seriously guys. What's going on?" Hypotheses swirled in her mind, but they all seemed ridiculous or off. Someone died? No, the actions of her friends didn't seem like they were mourning, it was similar to two children struggling to say something that they knew would earn them disapproval. They wanted to hang out and were just nervous? No, that didn't make sense either. The three of them were much closer now than they had been in Naruto's past at this very same point in time. They relaxed around each other, to the point where the two boys' barriers fell almost immediately at her presence and she wasn't constantly on alert.

She didn't know what the problem was, though the fact that it was a problem that affected her friends in such a manner left her tensing. Logic and analysis told her not to worry, that there was a very low chance—if any chance at all—that it was something dire, of great importance. But, being the fiercely protective, war-hardened and grieving soul she was, she couldn't quite allay all of her worries.

A slight murmur from the Akimichi reminded her of their presences and she snapped out of her thoughts. She cupped her ear, signaling that he had to speak up.

"… We wanted to apologize," Chouji mumbled slightly louder.

And like that, the previous tension, albeit small, slipped from her frame.

Uh… Okay, she wasn't expecting that. Why were the _only_ two people she _wasn't_ feeling super pissed off at/about the ones apologizing? She scratched her cheek, trying to figure out what their guilt stemmed from. "… Er, apology accepted I guess? But I don't even know what you guys are apologizing for."

Shikamaru gave an exasperated sigh. "In class, a week ago. Neither of us stood up for you, and we realized that… Well, we probably should've." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "We _would've_ apologized sooner, but_ someone_ has been acting troublesome and avoiding the Academy ever since."

"Oi! I wasn't avoiding the Academy, I only go in monthly to take the tests," Naruto riposted. "… And thanks, but that's no reason to apologize."

"It is," Chouji said quietly. "We're clan kids, so we know the feeling of having one's family insulted. We never knew that you were one, too, though…"

Naruto held her hands out to stop him. "Whoa, whoa, _who_ said I was a clan kid? I'm an _orphan_, and sure, even if both of my parents came from clans, those clans are gone. Dead. Dispersed. I'm not Uzumaki Naruto the clan kid, the sole survivor, I'm just Uzumaki Naruto, 'ttebayo."

Shikamaru eyed her carefully. "… You know, an apology wasn't the only reason why we came here."

Her brow furrowed. "What else then? You aren't gonna tell me to stop saying 'dattebayo' are you?"

"No… Actually, the opposite, I guess," Shikamaru shrugged. The odd answer caused Naruto to raise an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Naruto questioned. "You want me to say it _more_?" The hell?

"No no," Chouji quickly replied. "It's just that… Well, you've been different lately. Very different. One day you use the verbal tick at the end of each sentence, and the next…" He trailed off, scratching his head, a confused expression on his face.

"What he's trying to say is that something happened to you. You went from the dorky, idiot blonde, to… Whatever you are now," Shikamaru supplied. "So, care to tell us what's up?"

Naruto pondered the possible answers. 'Well, the truth is that I'm actually from the future where all of you are dead. I became Hokage at 24, died at 29, but then woke up to realize that I was actually 18 and had been in a Genjutsu the entire time. I then went on a 7-year-long trip to get more powerful so that when I traveled to the past, I was sufficiently powerful enough to kill Madara who, by the way, is still alive, and to prevent Kaguya's resurrection. That's why I seem so different now! … Yeah, I don't think so.' "Nothing really. I just… Decided to stop pretending to be stupid. To stop playing the role of the idiot," she replied plainly. "I also have someone mentoring me, sorta, and she told me to just be myself."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "I always knew that you were pretending to a certain extent, but I find it a little hard to believe that it was _that_ much of a facade… Though, I guess whoever this 'mentor' of your's is, is the one responsible."

"Who's your mentor?" Chouji questioned.

Naruto shrugged. "Not really important. Technically speaking I can't tell you, either. Hokage's orders."

Their eyes widened simultaneously and they shared a look. "Seriously?" Shikamaru asked. "Wow. Well, is this guy strong?"

Naruto snickered. "She's super strong! I'm willing to bet that she's one of the strongest Jounin in Konoha, in fact." 'Well,' Naruto thought quietly, 'she _will_ be, once I condition my body a bit more.'

"It's a woman?" Shikamaru sighed. "Sounds too troublesome to me."

The blonde rolled her eyes. If she was Ino or Sakura, she would've taken offense to that comment.

"Hey, Shika," Chouji nudged the dark-haired boy, "weren't you going to invite Naru over for dinner?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened and he turned to Naruto. "Oh yeah. Do you wanna come over next week? It's Chouji's kaa-san's birthday and she's going to cook a feast."

Naruto snorted. "It's her birthday and _she's_ the one that's going to cook?"

The two boys shrugged. "Kaa-chan insisted," Chouji replied.

"Alright, you can count me in," Naruto grinned, noting to work extra hard in her training that day. She was going to need to have as much room in her stomach as humanly possible to maximize her profits. "I could use a mood-lifter."

* * *

October 10th. She had completely forgotten about it, until she saw a growing mob of civilians headed towards her home. At the realization, she had gone home to activate her seals—she really didn't want to risk her home burning down—and then proceeded to the Hokage Monument afterwards to sit, meditate, and watch the stars.

It usually never resulted in a fire, but the civilian villagers always made a point to do something none too kind on her birthday. Whether it was in the form of insulting graffiti on the walls, piles of trash at her doorstep, or a mob chasing her down to (attempt to) beat her, they always did _something_ on the 10th day of October. The worst had been an accidental fire during her 8th year of life; she had been at home trying her hand at cooking, hoping to wait out the evening. She didn't notice the sleeping gas, and when the fumes reached the open flame…

It had been many years since then, but she still remembered it rather clearly. After Pain had attacked, the group of civilians that had made it a habit to try and make her birthday a living hell came to apologize to her, and she had accepted the collective apology. She hadn't cared much for their actions in the past; she understood that they were just in pain and dealing with their hatred in the easiest way to do so: directing it at her. The feeling of hatred and the urge for vengeance was something she understood, and it was actually rather easy to forgive them.

It hurt a little that she had to go through all of this again, but it also annoyed her to no end. She was no longer the sniveling little brat that she had once been, and quite frankly, the fact that she had to spend the night outside because of some petty grievances annoyed her in the same manner a mosquito buzzing around her ear did. Hey, she said she sympathized, but she wasn't a damned Saint, Sage Chakra and status as "Heritor of Otsutsuki Hagoromo" be damned.

A low growl within her mindscape lifted her mood.

'Kurama! I haven't talked to you in a while,' she thought jovially. 'I was beginning to miss you.'

The fox gave a noncommittal grunt and Naruto gave a fake pout. 'Oi, is that all you have to say to me? Where have you been? Every time I tried to talk to you, you never responded. And when I went into my mind-scape, you weren't there.'

He shifted and rubbed his temples, seemingly trying to abate a headache. **'Damn human brats and curiosity.'** Naruto laughed at the exasperated tone the fox spoke in.

'Well, sadly, you're stuck with me for now,' she riposted. 'What have you been doing all of this time, though? I don't think you've ever been able to hide from me in my mind-scape, before. It was weird.'

'**It's none of your business.'**

Naruto raised an eyebrow at his ire. 'Uh-huh, yeah, sure. The least you can do for me today, considering it's the day I was born and the day you impaled my parents, is tell me what's going on.'

She felt the fox twitch with irritation. **'… I have been trying to create a stronger connection with the other Bijuu.'**

Naruto almost fell off of the monument. Okay, she wasn't expecting_ that_. Many things that she hadn't expected seemed to like popping up, she quietly mused. '… Alright, what's going on? Did something happen during this time that I didn't know about before? Or has my presence already started to cause ripples?' she questioned with a wary tone.

'**It's nothing, I've just been trying to figure something out,'** Kurama replied.

'The "nothing" routine again, huh,' Naruto thought petulantly. 'Well, why didn't you at least tell me you were in contact with your brothers? Does that mean that you've been talking to the other Jinchuuriki too? Hey, you should bring me along next time! That could help progress our plan furthe—'

'**NO,'** Kurama interrupted with vehemence.** 'That's… Maybe some other time. But not now.'**

Naruto's brow furrowed with annoyance. 'Why not?'

'Because,' his voice held it's usual power, but lacked it's usual derision. **'It's not… the same type of connection. It's only the connection we Bijuu share.'**

'That's the same as the one you told me about before,' Naruto pointed out. 'Something about you all having that innate connection since you were all once one being. That doesn't make sense, though, because I should be able to communicate with them since I still have a portion of their individual chakras from the war. It should be even _easier_ for me thanks to having the Rikudou Sennin's chakra on _top_ of that. Stop trying to skirt around the problem, Kurama, and just tell me outright.' She exaggerated a shudder. 'You don't know how creepy it is when you're actually being… _Conscientious_.'

Kurama groaned. **'Alright,**_** look**_**, brat. The truth is… It just wouldn't be wise to meet them right now.'**

Naruto frowned. 'And why's that?'

'**Because my brothers don't know the full story and would be apt to **_**tear apart**_** your **_**puny human mind**_**,'** he growled with sudden vehemence, leaving Naruto slightly taken aback in surprise. The fox's bristling ceased almost immediately, however, and he sighed. **'And it actually **_**is **_**different. The connection I spoke to you about before was one with the aid of the Six Paths Sage Chakra, with the old man's guidance. Like you said, that was with the aid of the chakra you got as the Jinchuuriki of all of us. However, that kind of connection has no defense against the other Bijuu, and should they decide they wanted you dead… Do you understand?'**

Naruto nodded. 'Yeah, I do actually.' She hummed as she remembered her interactions with the other Bijuu and Jinchuuriki. They had seemed friendly at the time—Choumei in particular—but she knew better than to just assume that it would be as simple as walking in on their conversation and saying, "yo, I'm from the future where I'm your friend. Let's be friends again." All of the Jinchuuriki had also been surprisingly amiable with their words and actions, she recalled. It was a pity Yagura was a lost cause, and Fu and Han were dead. She kinda liked them.

'**Yes, well, the connection I have forged with my brothers is a tentative bond. It is the best alternative to refrain from including their Jinchuuriki and chance changing things more than you already have.'**

Naruto stopped mid-nod. '… Wait. Do the other Bijuu know… Know about me? About you?'

She felt Kurama shake his head.** 'No, but I have alerted them to be wary. The hunt for Jinchuuriki begins soon, and I'd rather not give that Uchiha-bastard anymore power than he already possesses.' **He then went off on a tirade of loud swears and muttered curses about the many ways he would've liked to see the Uchiha die, causing Naruto to chuckle at the fox's mannerisms.

She was glad that she had someone to spend her birthday with, even if they were quite literally chained together against their wills.

* * *

It had been many years since she had witnessed the familiar and rather lonely scene. That fact alone was probably the reason why she had immediately had a flashback of the boy, her broody teammate.

_As per the usual, Naruto spent her time training at the crack of dawn._

_Well, technically, it wasn't the crack of dawn. No, it was even earlier; it was 3am. And she had gone home the previous night after a long and especially trying day in the office at around a quarter to midnight… Yeah, you do the math._

_It was an ungodly hour, but it was the only time that she was able to get away from her duties and actually devote some time into her training. And she was as dedicated to keeping up her ability as she was to keeping the village safe, orderly, and happy._

_Needless to say, when her ex-teammate infringed on said time(and his visits had become irritatingly frequent as of late) no one could blame her for any blatant ire she displayed._

"_What the fuck do you want, teme?" Naruto huffed, sending a glare in the Uchiha's direction. She was slipping into old mannerisms and a dialect she had picked up while on her travels with Erosennin, but she didn't care. She wasn't in Hokage-mode, or even in training-mode. She was in, "I'm-still-waking-up-so-don't-fuck-with-me" mode. It was a rare mood she settled into on rare days, mostly because she had forced herself to become a morning person when she took office. However, she wasn't Gaara who, by some unknown ability—she swears it is so strong it must be a kekkei genkai—managed to pull _several_ all-nighters in a row without showing any sign of wear and sleep deprivation. Well, technically, neither did she, other than the fact that she usually reached a temper level that rivaled Sakura's._

_She absently wondered what it would have been like to use "ISWUSDFWM" mode during the Fourth War._

_Unbeknownst to her, Sasuke simply stared, silently observing her. The blonde's eyelids fluttered slightly and her eyes took on a blank look, one that Sasuke had long ago learned to associate with her wandering mind. He knew the exact moment when Uzumaki Naruto had checked out of their brief encounter and wandered into the land in-between sleep and awareness. He felt a spark of amusement bubble from within before he shook his head, deciding it was time to snap her out of her mindless stupor. He had come for a reason, after all. Then, he firmly grabbed her wrist and tugged her away._

_Naruto was ripped from her sleep-deprivation-induced thoughts, bewildered. 'What the hell…?' He usually just watched, or sometimes on rare occasions, joined in her training sessions for a quick spar. She quickly yanked her arm away and glowered at the raven-haired boy. "What the hell teme!? I'm training!"_

"_You haven't eaten yet."_

_Naruto blinked. He stared. She blinked again._

"…_. What?"_

"_You haven't eaten," he repeated. "Sakura and Tsunade have been complaining about it."_

_Naruto's eyes narrowed. "… And? Did you become their personal messengers or something? Yeah, I skip breakfast, and maybeIskippeddinnerlastnight," her last words were rushed together. "They have already told me to sto—"_

_Before she could reply, the Uchiha grabbed her by the shoulders and she felt the rushed feeling of Shunshin being used. She dazedly looked around her—no, she wasn't weak and she actually _was_ used to the Shunshin; heck, she was used to the _Hiraishin_, but when someone is taken by surprise it actually _can_ leave them a little dizzy no matter how accustomed to stomach-turning Jutsu they are—and noticed that they were at the broody-boy's apartment._

"_Here." His voice cut through her thoughts like a blade and she turned around to quickly catch the object that was thrown at her. She looked down at it and raised an eyebrow. 'An apple.'_

_Without moving her gaze from the Uchiha that was mulling about his kitchen, she took a tentative bite from the fruit. "… So teme," she spoke, not caring that she still had apple in her mouth, "since when did you become my mother?"_

_He didn't reply. He simply brought a plate of onigiri to the table and motioned for her to sit. With a shrug—heck, free food, why not—she did so, still eyeing her friend._

"_Not exactly better than eating nothing," Naruto commented, finishing her apple and reaching for an onigiri. "It's lacking in the essential nutrients and vitamins that a Shinobi should eat in the morning for the energy needed to last the day. Or as Sakura-chan would say, anyway."_

_When the Uchiha still didn't reply, Naruto sighed and decided to look around. The room had an open kitchen, and the living room was basically morphed with the dining room. Everything was spotless, organized, and very-much like her pole-up-the-ass teammate. And very obviously screamed, "bachelor."_

_Her brow furrowed. Wasn't part of his dream to raise a family? To marry someone to help shoot out—_excuse me_, to _produce_ millions of red-eyed, mentally-fucked Sharingan babies? It had been almost five years since Itachi had died, and nearly four since the war had ended. And yet, to her knowledge, the boy had never had any kind of relationship. Oh, sure, he had women falling at his feet and practically offering their damn uteri for his use, but she had never heard of him actually—_

_She repressed a shudder. She really didn't care for hearing about the dirty business her ex-teammate(who may as well be her _brother_) got into. That didn't mean she wasn't curious, though._

"_Oi, Sasuke," she started, getting his attention. "Have you had sex yet?"_

_With awe, she watched as he choked on his onigiri mid-bite and a light pink dusted his cheeks—never, NEVER had the Uchiha lost his cool, never had he sucked food down the wrong tube and NEVER had she seen him blush. A feral grin stretched across her lips as she found a new way to tease the uppity bastard._

"_Oh-ho, so the ever-so-coveted Uchiha Sasuke is still a virgin? How surprising! I would've thought you wanted to get right to work on reviving your clan," she quipped devilishly._

_The Uchiha glared at her, no trace of the previous blush. "That's none of your business."_

_She laughed. "Seriously though, Sasuke, what's going on? None of the girls meet your fancy?"_

_He remained silent._

"_Knowing you, you'd probably want a Kunoichi. I highly doubt a civilian could birth one ninja baby without problems, let alone enough to restart a clan." She ignored the pointed glare the raven-haired boy shot her. "I still remember all the times you called Sakura-chan useless, the heartless ass you were. Ino-chan already has Sai-teme, so that won't work. Tenten is pretty cool, she's laid back but with a good head on her shoulders. You know, I think Sakura-chan is still kinda offended that you had the gall to tell her she was annoying at the Valley of End but she might give. I mean, it's been years, and she isn't the type to hold grudges. She's definitely one of the best Konoha has to offer, in looks, ability, intelligence—"_

"_What about you?" Sasuke interrupted, and the blonde looked askance at her ex-teammate. "Why haven't _you_ had any relationships?"_

_She gave a mock-gasp. "Huh, so you actually talk." This earned her yet another glare from the boy, which she waved off. "But if you want an honest answer…"_

_She rested her elbow on the table, her chin propped in her hand. "… I guess I'm just comfortable with how things are. I mean, things like 'love' and 'relationships'? … Never really gave any mind to them. The entirety of my childhood revolved around getting _friends_, which extended into my preteen years. I was a lonely little sap and I wanted friends, friendship, a family; something lasting. Love beyond friendship just wasn't something that registered, I guess. And then, my life revolved around training, getting stronger, to protect the people that I actually had come to love, my friends and, in a way, my family." She pointed an accusing finger at the Uchiha. "_And_ I got stronger to try and get your stubborn ass home. I think that was the biggest headache I've ever had."_

_When Sasuke didn't reply, Naruto sighed, combing a hand through her golden locks. "You know, I'm worried about you. You're my friend, Sasuke, you're family. I want you to be happy and to live a fulfilling life. No longer are you tied down by hatred or some will for vengeance that was thrust upon you unwillingly. You can actually be _happy._"_

_She stared at him and he stared back, eyes filled with indecipherable emotions."… I think I'm fine with how things are, too. With everyone, Konoha, you… I'm fine with it for now."_

_It was as close to an admittance of friendship and appreciation she'd get, she figured. She teasingly prodded him on the shoulder and grinned. "Aw, I love you too."_

_His eyes widened before he stood up and turned around, walking to the sink with an empty plate. Naruto noticed a light pink tint on the tips of his ears and let out a quiet giggle._

It was a memory from the Genjutsu, but it felt just as real as any other memory she had stored away in the endless confines of her heart. When her trip down memory lane faded, she refocused her eyes on the raven-haired boy sitting on the pier, staring off into the unknown. Suddenly, he turned around, as though finally realizing that he was being watched. Their eyes locked for an achingly long moment before he broke it off, turning back to face his front with his nose in the air. _Very much like Sasuke to do that._

Naruto turned away shaking her head, a grin playing on her lips.

_Maybe he can truly find a happy ending in Konoha, this time around._

* * *

It had been a little tense when she entered the Nara house, she had to admit. Almost immediately, she felt Nara Shikaku's eyes on her, and panic arose. 'Does he know the truth? Does he know I'm actually Fuuko? He doesn't want to kill me, does he?' Her worries were quickly quashed however; there was no way that he had already picked up on the fact that she was Fuuko. She hadn't interacted with him since she last came over to hang out, and 'Fuuko' hadn't seen him since the _incident_. That didn't mean she wasn't still somewhat unnerved by his analytical stare, so with a quick, "thank you for having me Nara-sama," she dashed after Shikamaru and Chouji, glad that the confrontation was over.

She sat in the Nara heir's room, facing the two clan heirs, who had oddly _malicious_ looks on their faces. Wait, no, that was a trick of the light. They just looked curious. _Maliciously_ curious.

"Er," she started intelligently, tugging her jumpsuit collar, "what's up?"

"We heard that your mentor is named Namikaze Fuuko." Shikamaru cut right to the chase.

"Ah."

"She's the visiting Jounin that came to class a while ago," Chouji commented. "Why didn't you tell us before? Being the apprentice to a relative of the Yondaime is awesome!"

'I _am_ a relative of the Yondaime,' Naruto thought sarcastically. "Wasn't really necessary to speak about it. Besides, it's supposed to be a secret…" She narrowed her eyes at the two boys. "Who did you guys hear it from? That's not exactly information released to the public rumor mill."

"Oh," Shikamaru raised a hand sheepishly—well, as sheepishly as a Nara could. "I heard Oyaji and Inoichi talking about it."

Naruto felt a twisting feeling in her stomach—annoyance? Fear? Worry? Anger? She didn't know. She pinched the bridge of her nose and made a motion with her other hand, signaling to continue. "And…?"

"Well, Oyaji wants to ask a favor."

Ah. That explained the holes he bore into her skull earlier.

"What is this 'favor'? If he wants me to try and arrange another meeting between the two, then you've got another thing coming."

Shikamaru scratched his cheek. "He wants to talk to her. He said it's importa—"

"Not gonna happen," she interrupted.

The two boys blinked owlishly. "Why are you so against it?"

"For _reasons_. Let's just say that their first meeting didn't go very well. You're dad's awesome, Shika, but he is definitely a little lacking as far as tact goes."

The Nara heir snorted. "I can agree with you there, but women aren't exactly the easiest to deal with. Why do you think I really only have you guys as friends? Ino doesn't count."

Naruto almost jumped up and said, "GUESS WHAT? I'M A GIRL!" just to render his point moot and invalid. But she didn't.

"Well, back to the subject," Naruto decided. "Can you tell me why your Tou-san wants to meet with her?" Was it worth the trouble?

Shikamaru shook his head. "I honestly don't know. I just know Oyaji was really distraught about the whole thing, and it's troublesome."

Naruto blinked. Distraught? Annoyed, she could imagine, angry, sure, apathetic, _definitely_—he's a _Nara_—but _distraught_? Was he… Was he actually regretting what happened? "Uh… Define _distraught_."

"Deeply upset and agitated," Shikamaru deadpanned.

Naruto palmed her face. "God _damn_ it Shika, I mean, why? How? Does he seem regretful?"

The Nara gave a one-arm shrug and Chouji rubbed his chin, contemplating. "… Yeah, Shika's Tou-chan _does_ seem a little… mopey."

"Not technically a real word, Chouji." The Nara pointed out, earning him a pointed glare from his friend.

Naruto gave a small chuckle. Maybe the Nara clan head wasn't as suspicious of her as she had initially thought, even though his words rather blatantly shouted, "I don't trust you and you're suspicious." Even if she wasn't someone that had a background in politics, she would've come to the very same conclusion. "Look, for _you_ guys to be spared of Nara-sama's 'mopey-ness,' I'll talk to Fuuko. I'll make sure she comes by at some point to talk to him."

Shikamaru gave a sigh of relief. "Thank god."

"Boys!" Yoshino's voice called from the other room. "Dinner's ready!" Almost immediately, Naruto was accosted by the smell of food—fresh miso, gindara, tonkatsu, and many others—and she had to stop the drool that threatened to fall.

"Alright, we'll be there in a moment!" Shikamaru called back, walking towards the door. He turned to his two friends and gestured for them to follow him.

"I wonder what Kaa-chan made," Chouji wondered aloud as they walked down the hallway.

Shikamaru snorted. "Probably everything you could possibly think of. Hanako-san always manages to cook whatever it is that you feel like eating without even asking… Because she literally cooks _everything_."

Naruto blinked. "Hanako-san?"

"Ah, yeah, Chouji's Kaa-san," Shikamaru helpfully supplied, and Naruto nodded. She knew the name, and yet, it seemed foreign to her. She filed that bit of information away for later review.

The trio entered the dining room and saw that the plates, utensils, and food were all spread out, and they took their seats. Chouji and Shikamaru immediately began picking at the plates of food in the middle, adding pieces to their own plates and chowed down. Naruto looked at Hanako and smiled. "Thank you for the meal, Hanako-san, and Happy Birthday."

The two boys paused as Hanako chuckled. "Thank you very much, at least _one_ of the boys here has some manners! You are Naruto-kun, right? I've heard so much about you from little Chou here." Naruto laughed in reply, absently noting the slight lilt in the woman's voice.

Chouji reddened as the other occupants of the room began to laugh along with the blonde. "Kaa-chan!"

As they exchanged words(and Naruto's two friends said "sorry" and "happy birthday Kaa-chan/Hanako-san"), Naruto glanced at the technical host of the little gathering. Shikaku was a great actor, she had to admit, and had she not been used to Shikamaru's similar mannerisms and little quirks, she wouldn't have seen it.

The man was nervous. And she knew that _she_ was the reason for it.

It wasn't quite the normal nervousness—though, considering the situation and their positions, him feeling nervous about her probably wouldn't be considered "normal" any which way—where the parent is trying to seem cool to his son's friends because, honestly, Shikaku probably couldn't give a rat's ass about that. No, it was the kind of nervousness that one suffered from when they had something to say. The talk with Shikamaru and Chouji resurfaced in her mind, and she realized she had her proof.

'Hmm,' she thought silently, deciding to let her eyes linger on the steadily worsening fight between Chouji and his mother that was spurred on by his nickname. 'I guess it wouldn't be too bad to visit him. Clear up whatever misunderstanding we seem to have. The man obviously seems repentant, and I could use that to my advantage.'

Because, if there was one thing Naruto was certain about in her estranged situation with the Naras, it was that having Nara Shikaku as an enemy was something she did _not_ want to be faced with.

* * *

Shikaku blinked.

He couldn't see her eyes due to the shadows, but he assumed she just stared back at him. "Well?" She questioned, expectantly. "Are you going to let me in so we can talk, or are you going to make me stand here on your doorstep?"

An amused smirk threatened to cross Shikaku's features again. Honestly, the blonde in front of him was more daring than most of the Jounin he commanded, and her uncanny resemblance to Minato in that regard was astounding. Seemingly weak and frightened at first, but should you be an enemy, would be the one to end your life without a second thought. The frightened child he had seen her as just a week prior was gone, most likely never to come back in his presence, and was replaced with the undaunted figure of absolute control and power.

"Very well," he motioned to allow her into the house. "Let us have a chat, Namikaze-san." For some reason, it didn't seem so wrong to call her by the surname, anymore.

The blonde nodded and walked in, following him to the living room where they sat on opposite ends of the lacquered tea table that Shikaku's wife was so fond of.

So, there Shikaku sat, across the tea table from Namikaze Fuuko, wondering where the hell to begin. He was a thinker, not a conversationalist with a silver tongue. The manner in which he handled their previous meeting made that rather obvious, he would think. She had dropped by unexpectedly, very unexpectedly, and he wondered if his son and the blonde boy had anything to do with it.

He looked at the tea he had prepared earlier, just before her arrival, and motioned at an empty cup. "Tea?"

She shook her head and Shikaku proceeded to pour a cup solely for himself.

With a sip from his tea, he decided to start. "... So, Namikaze-san—"

"Fuuko," she replied quickly. "I don't care for petty honorifics and propriety isn't at the forefront of my mind, especially not now. We are not here to discuss business as fellow Jounin under the Hokage, we are here to clear an unfortunate misunderstanding that even children could mediate."

Shikaku stared for a moment before he shook his head and chuckled, astounded at her gall. "Very well, I ask that you call me Shikaku as well. I'm not much for honorifics, either."

She nodded.

"Anyway," the Nara head began again, "I wanted to apologize to you, Fuuko. I assure you that the meaning behind my words that night were not as severe as they appeared."

"That is fine," she stated plainly. "It is perfectly acceptable. You are Jounin Commander, and you had not been informed of my presence until it was rather… Late in the game. You suspicions were founded in the situation you were placed in. Your guarded reaction was to be expected."

Shikaku furrowed his brow. Had he truly come off so abrasively? "… You were correct, earlier, that the root of the problem was a misunderstanding. Certainly, I had a few suspicions, but my biggest concern was the fact that you were an _unknown_ in my book." He let out an exasperated sigh. "I am not _accustomed_ to not having all of the information I need at my fingertips, you see, and on the rare occasion that it does happen—that usually only occurs when the opposing party is an enemy Shinobi—I suppose I get a little… Passionate about my work."

He glanced at the blonde, who seemed to stop breathing altogether. His brow furrowed deeper; had he offended her? Troublesome.

His thoughts were immediately cut off when she broke into uncontrollable laughter. He stared at her hunched over form—arms grasping at her stomach, frame shaking slightly—and his face contorted to one of absolute confusion. Eventually, her mad-fit of giggles subsided, and she mock-wiped a tear from under the eye of her mask.

"I apologize, Shikaku. It's just… You were correct, that was quite the misunderstanding we had," she supplied.

Shikaku set his teacup down as he raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "What exactly _did_ you think I was doing, then? My motive?"

She crossed her hands on her lap and locked eyes with him. 'Blue eyes, just like Minato,' he absently noted. "To test me for my loyalty. To see if I was someone with a hidden agenda. To see if I coveted power, and to see what I would do to gain said power." She paused. "To see if the_ information _you had on me was true."

The Nara tapped the side of his teacup with his finger. "Well, I admit that I did have my reservations about your motive at first, because your choice of company was more than a little suspicious. But ultimately, only part of that is true," he leveled a steely gaze at her. "Your _cover story_ is a lie. I know that for a fact."

She stiffened slightly but her gaze did not waver. "… And what makes you say that?"

"It's a little too perfect for the situation. A little too _convenient_," he supplied. "That, and something just tells me that it's a lie."

There was a pause.

To Shikaku's surprise, she nodded. "… You are correct." She then stretched, and the previously restricted air about her seemed to relax completely. "… Man, figures you'd figure it out. Of course, you haven't put together the entire puzzle, but I'm not gonna tell you."

His lip twitched upwards. It seemed the woman in front of him had made her own decision about him, and decided to throw formality out of the window. "You admit to it? Why not divulge the full truth, then?"

"Because, I'm not admitting _defeat_, Shikaku, and it's much more fun trying to find something out than being handed the answer. I'm sure you agree," she quipped, playing with her glove. "There's also the fact that I'm not technically allowed to tell you, even if the old Hokage _did_ leave the confidentiality of said information at my discretion." This bit of information made Shikaku's eyes widen. "Besides, I'm fairly certain that you'll figure it out on your own, eventually. When, I don't know, but I am _very_ certain that you'll figure it out."

He allowed a full-blown grin to stretch across his face. The girl in front of him had already made a decision about him, so he could return the gesture: he decided that he liked how the girl in front of him thought. "Would you like to play a game of Shogi?" He offered. It was the best method he knew of to truly get to know his opponents. It was a game of strategy and centered around the strength of minds; what better way to analyze the odd woman in front of him than to test her in Shogi?

She hummed to herself, contemplating the offer. "… You know what, sure. It'll give you a few more _hints_, I'm sure."

He did not allow any surprise he felt to show outwardly. "How very astute of you," he commented as he stood up. Most saw his offer as a polite and discreet way to get to know one other. It was true in a way; he _did_ use it as a way to get to know his opponent. To break them apart and analyze their minds without them knowing, that is.

"Thank you." Shikaku could hear the smile in her voice and he couldn't help but snort.

As he guided her to the Shogi room, a thought crossed his mind that made his brow furrow.

"Can you tell the blonde brat to just call me 'Shikaku'?" He drawled. He could almost feel her confusion through the mask.

"… What?"

"Naruto," Shikaku corrected while setting up the Shogi board. "He called me 'Nara-sama' the last time he was over, and before I could correct him he dashed off to Shikamaru's room. I don't like the honorific, _or _being called by my clan name."

Fuuko simply shrugged. "Sure. Now…." She pointed at him as he finished setting up the board, which earned her a questioning eyebrow. "Don't you dare go easy on me, or you'll regret it."

He gave her a genuine smile, noting the steel and raw strength in her voice despite the calm tone. "Of course not."

Yes, Namikaze Fuuko was, decidedly, a very interesting person.

* * *

_Poke._

His eye twitched.

_Poke poke._

He scowled and his jaw tightened.

_Pokepokepoke._

…

_Pokepokepokepokepokepoke_—

"AARGH! What the hell!?" Sasuke swatted at the offending hand and swirled around to glare at the person who really needed to learn how to respect_ personal boundaries_. He blinked when he was greeted by familiar blonde hair and a vaguely familiar ANBU mask.

"About damn time," the woman drawled, shoving Sasuke to the side slightly so she could sit next to him. She turned to him and gave a two finger wave as he scowled. "Yo."

It was the woman from the Jounin visitation, he noted. 'What was her name? And what the hell does she want?' He gave a quiet scoff and turned back to the sunset, making a point of scooting away slightly(to underline the fact that the woman's presence was _very much unwanted_).

He would've proceeded to ignore her had he not felt a rather sharp pain on his forehead… and had he not found himself sprawled on his back, about three meters away from where he was sitting previously.

"Geez, you're such an ass, avenger-boy." He sat up sharply and glared at the woman. He was angry that she had struck him and was bothering him, but most of all, he was frustrated that he hadn't seen her move. At all.

"What the hell do you want?" He growled. This damn woman was infringing on _his_ time, in _his_ place, and he wanted her to _leave_.

Sasuke heard the woman give a quiet sigh as she pointed to the spot he was previously seated. "I want you to sit here, and I want to talk to you."

"Talk? What is there to talk about?" He snarled, not budging. "Nothing about me is any of your business, and you're being anno—"

"Sit," she ground out with force. With a start, Sasuke realized that he was shaking—him, _Uchiha Sasuke_, was _trembling_—at the Killing Intent she released. However, it dissipated almost as soon as it settled, and she released another sigh. "Look, I know what your deal is. You think I'm just 'another adult' that is giving you pity, looking down on you. But trust me, the last thing you'll be getting from me is pity because, quite frankly, you don't deserve it." She gestured to the empty spot beside her again. "Now get your pompous ass over here and _sit_."

Sasuke eyed her warily before complying. He didn't quite know why he felt the slight inclination to obey; perhaps it was because she was a Jounin, maybe it was because of the Killing Intent she gave him a taste of, or maybe it was because of her unorthodox understanding. Whatever was the case, he did as she told him to, albeit somewhat begrudgingly.

"Good," she commented, and Sasuke wished he had just walked away. "Now, tell me, why do you sit here and brood so often?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. "What? Have you been_ following_ me?"

The blonde woman actually snorted. "Hah, please! I have better things to do than follow around a kid with a damned vendetta of all things. Now answer the question."

"Why should I tell you? It's none of_ your_ business," he snarled.

He stared at the woman as she(he assumed) stared back. The staring contest lasted a couple of minutes, and Sasuke felt somewhat unnerved but refused to be the first one to look away. He just continued glaring into the eye holes of the mask.

Eventually, he heard the blonde groan in frustration. "Why do you have so much enmity towards everything? Towards life?"

Sasuke fought down the urge to look at her incredulously. Was she being _seriously_ asking him that? He remained silent.

The blonde woman moved to stand up and shifted her mask, seemingly rubbing her face in exasperation—Sasuke was _not_ curious, he _did not_ give a side glance to see, and he was not disappointed when he realized her face was still hidden—and she turned to face him. "Life isn't all about getting revenge, Sasuke, and even when it feels like you've lost everything… It's up to you to determine if you want to actually make something of your life. Giving in to hatred? Not the best course of action, especially when you can't even look underneath the underneath."

He shot her a look and opened his mouth to retort, but she cut him off. "Hatred isn't the way, Sasuke. Hatred can give you power quickly and easily, sure, but once that hatred dies, you are left with _nothing_. Instead of allowing hatred to consume you... Break down those _damn_ barriers you've constructed around your heart and learn to love, appreciate, and care. Because that's the foundation of _true_ power; the _power to protect_."

Sasuke felt rage build up within him as he tried to burn a hole through the woman's skull. How _dare_ she act like she knew what he was going through? Who the hell did she think she was, _preaching_ to him _useless_ ideals in an attempt to brainwash him? It was _his_ decision to follow down this path and to avenge his clan and she had absolutely _no right _to try and change his mind! She was just an _outsider_ who knew nothing, a self-righteous _nobody_ that thought she was better than him just because he was the _pitiful "lone survivor"_ and she was older. She was just like the rest, looking down on him and—

"I'm not looking down on you, Sasuke." His eyes widened. He didn't say any of that aloud, he knew that for a fact. How did she…? "I just don't want you to make a decision that will harm the people that actually do care about you, whether you know about them or not."

She nodded her head once, and in a black and gold flash, she disappeared.

Sasuke sat there until the sun had disappeared underneath the horizon, staring at the spot the strange woman had stood before departing.

* * *

When "Fuuko" got home, she immediately released her henge and stretched, enjoying the sensation. It had been an interesting couple of weeks, that was certain. From Suna, to her homecoming, the confrontation at the Jounin HQ, _certain realizations_, hanging out with Shika and Chou, confronting Shikaku about their previous encounter, and then trying to knock some sense into her broody soon-to-be-teammate? Yes, very interesting.

Though, in truth, her whole time back in the past had been rather different.

At first she had mixed feelings about the whole thing; she had her reservations. Everything just seemed so different, with different people at different ranks, different shops, different schedules… The whole air about Konoha seemed different. Perhaps it was because, at this time, she had been too focused on trying to garner attention and get people to see _Uzumaki Naruto_ and not the _demon brat_, but she was noticing things about her environment and the inhabitants of Konoha that she hadn't noticed the first time around. It was all very strange, almost foreign, and it had scared her initially.

And yet, while it was different, it was still _familiar_. It still had telltale signs of her home, the very obvious feeling she'd get when looking at the village itself. The relief she felt when looking across the expanse and realized, it was _not_ plagued by the constant threat of death. It wasn't dead at all. It was still _Konoha_.

An amused snort alerted her to her tenant. **'While it's **_**amusing**_** seeing you induce some sort of elation-high to yourself, your training has slowed down as of late. You haven't tried using my chakra and the Six Paths Sage chakra to the full extent yet, and your physical conditioning is suffering from lack of attention.'**

Naruto rolled her eyes as she walked over to her cabinet to take out a pencil and paper. 'I know, of course I'm going to train more. There were just certain issues that had to be taken care of; you know that.'

'**Yes, and I've had my own problems,'** he grumbled, quietly enough so Naruto didn't notice. **'I've been meaning to ask. What do you plan to do with your little persona?'**

Naruto, who had started jotting down a tentative training schedule, quirked an eyebrow. 'What?'

'**Namikaze Fuuko. What do you plan on doing once it is no longer needed?'**

'… Well, I was just going to stop using Chihenge to disguise myself as her, for one,' Naruto replied blandly. 'As my body grows older, people will see the resemblance, but I can just pass it off as "close familial ties." It'll work fine—'

'**That isn't quite what I meant,'** Kurama clicked his tongue in annoyance. **'Namikaze Fuuko has become more than just a persona for you to use as a shield against Madara. You have formed bonds with other people using it, and I want to know: What are you going to do about those bonds?'**

Naruto set her schedule aside and sat down on the cool floor, chewing on her lip. '… I never really thought about it. Fuuko wasn't supposed to be someone I used to get close to the others, in all honesty. The only one she was supposed to get close to was Sasuke, and only as a teacher, "path towards power" in his quest for revenge. A failsafe to keep him in Konoha, you could say, though that was only supposed to be an _option_. I… honestly didn't think that I'd get closer to other people as well.'

Kurama remained silent.

'As for what I'm going to do…? Well, I want to say that I'll just come clean at some point and tell everyone the truth. Hopefully after Madara is good and dead, Obito is back on our side, and Zetsu is dead—therein destroying Kaguya's only chance of revival. But it won't be that simple, it's never that simple, and you have a point.' She tilted her head back to look at the ceiling. 'I _don't know_ what I'm going to do.'

The room and Naruto's mind scape settled into silence, with the exception of her steady breaths.

'… **Just don't let it become another weakness,'** Kurama said with finality. **'As it stands, your biggest enemy is yourself and your past. By the time any true enemies make their appearance, you need to either have those weaknesses hidden flawlessly, or have dealt with them and reached closure.'**

Naruto gave a small nod, notifying the fox that she had understood. She was mentally around three times her current physical age, and she had lived, _survived_ through more than most Shinobi did. In the past, she had sometimes wished she _hadn't_ survived, and though thoughts along that line hadn't crossed her mind for _years_, that was another crack in her psyche. Another weakness. She was powerful, she was formidable, had knowledge and experience to back any and every claim. But with her power and intellect came loneliness, a crushing loneliness that constantly threatened to put her under. Naruto had never handled loneliness well. Perhaps it was ingrained into her body, her very soul to want attention. Maybe it was her fiery Uzumaki blood, or her status as the Jinchuuriki to the proudest and most powerful of all the Bijuu. Or maybe, it was just because of her pitiful childhood. Regardless, all of her weaknesses stemmed from her inability to handle loneliness and solitude, in some way or another. She knew that, if she were to fall to something in the future, to fail saving her precious ones and die, it was going to be because of this weakness.

'But I have Kurama,' she thought fondly, her eyes crinkling in amusement. 'I have Jijii, I have Shika, and Chou. And even though they are gone, I have my memories of everyone from _my_ past; Erosennin, Sakura-chan, Sasuke-teme, Kakashi-sensei, Hinata-chan, the rest of Konoha 11, Tsunade-baachan, Gaara, B-occhan, Anko-neechan…'

And everyone was alive now. She had a second chance, the ability to save all of them. She was worried about the possibilities and the ifs; "What if I don't save them?" "What if I'm not able to save them?" "What if they die, even if I avert their initial death?" But she still had a chance. Another chance to meet all of them, to befriend them, to forge new bonds, and to save them all.

She looked at her calendar and smiled.

"I've got a few more months until graduation," She spoke quietly. A few more months until she stepped back into _that_ world, the world of Shinobi. Her world.

She was almost there. Just a bit more training, and she'd be at the peak of her current body's ability. She wouldn't be as strong as she had been in the future-past; her 12-year-old form just wasn't built for that compact muscle mass and those fully-matured chakra coils. But it'd be enough, and everything was, at this point, a waiting game.

Soon, she'd be as powerful as her body could be. Soon, she'd have her Team 7, the closest thing to a family she ever had, back. Soon, she'd once again meet everyone who had helped her on her path, had pushed her in the right directions. Soon, the gears of time would start moving.

Soon, her plan would be set into motion. As would _his_ plan.

Her smile grew wider as she thought of all of her friends. _Soon_.

* * *

A tall man sat hunched over his latest project. He eyed it keenly, his form so still and focused that his unruly, white hair didn't shift in the slightest. Notepad and pen in hand, he kept one eye closed and the other slightly squinted to see through the meager opening of the formidable wall in front of him.

He did not notice when a red toad of average size hopped up to him with a small scroll tied to its back.

"Jiraiya-sama."

The Sannin flinched and hit his head against the bamboo wall, causing the group on the other side to halt all conversation. The small group exchanged worried glances before they burst into worried chatter.

"Wha-what was that?"

"Do you think it's a monkey?"

"NOOOO I bet it's a PERVERT!"

"EEEEE! I'm getting out!"

The screams and protests slowly filtered out and the Sannin sent a vile glare to the small red toad. "Kousuke, this had _better_ be important. You just ruined my research."

Kousuke smirked a little at the remark but did not comment. He held out the white scroll and Jiraiya's eyes widened. "I have a reply from Hokage-sama. He requests that you return to Konoha."

Jiraiya snatched the scroll and eyed it warily before dismissing Kousuke. There was a reason why he was so interested in the scroll; it's coloration indicated it was of great importance. In matters of classified information or importance, yellow and orange were ranked the lowest, green and blue weres usually C-Rank, purple and red were around B-Rank/low A-Rank, and white and black were A and S-Rank, typically sealed with the strongest of seals. Black scrolls typically dealt with ANBU or council members, while white meant it was directly from the Hokage.

In this case, it meant that this was either of a personal nature or of a closely guarded secret that was typically for Hokage-eyes only.

Regardless, the Sannin had a feeling that he knew exactly what the topic in the scroll was…. Or rather, _who_.

Jiraiya scratched his chin as he looked at the ornate white scroll in his hand. He shrugged.

He'd get to reading it and determining it's urgency when he got back to his room. But first, he had some research to make up for…

* * *

**Omake - Moments of Stupidity**

* * *

**I'M SORRY DON'T KILL ME. This is the product of a skype call between two people while one was chugging along on only 3 hours of sleep in the last 35 hours(with about 1.5 liters of coffee in my system) at 4am in the morning and the other allegedly drunk.**

**What is this? Crack. Absolute crack. And a lie; this did NOT happen.**

**I wasn't going to add this, but I figured I might as well add it. I know the few friends I showed it to got some good laughs out of it. Don't like hinted homosexuality? Don't read.**

* * *

"_What about you?" Sasuke interrupted, and the blonde looked askance at her ex-teammate. "Why haven't _you_ had any relationships?"_

_She gave a mock-gasp. "Huh, so you actually talk." This earned her a glare from the boy, which she waved off. "But if you want an honest answer…"_

_She rested her elbow on the table, her chin propped in her hand, fighting down a downright evil grin._

_A single thought—a single decision—summed up her decision perfectly. 'Fuck it.'_

_She leapt out of her chair to fall into a kneeling position by the Uchiha's side, resulting in an involuntary tensing from said boy. She thrust her arms out towards him in an exaggerated fashion and thrust out her chest, working extra hard on the "sparkly eyes" affect. Her little show rivaled the Springtime of Youth, and she was damn proud of it. "Because, dear Sasuke, I love you with all of my heart! You are the eye to my apple, the rice to my white, and my fluffy hand warmer for cold winter nights."_

_She couldn't tell if it was confusion, shock, embarrassment, or anger that flitted through his face. Because for a full two seconds, his face made a strange amalgamation of twitches and shifts that hinted at all of the above._

"… _What?" He hissed lowly, rubbing his temples while fighting down a prominent red spreading across his face. He turned to her when he regained his composure, a serious look on his face. "…You—" He had begun to speak, in a decidedly serious tone, and she promptly cut him off._

"_BUT ALAS!" She placed the back of her wrist to her forehead and sighed loudly while looking off to the side, sadness and exasperation painfully fake. "I am already with… No, I already BELONG to someone else. I love thee, for you hold my heart, but my pure love and very soul are held by another."_

_Sasuke's eyes widened briefly before narrowing dangerously into a fierce scowl that she hadn't seen since the time he tried to kill her. His voice was a low growl and almost inaudible, but not without the power and defiance he had. "Who?"_

"_With eyes that shine like the freshly fallen snow," she makes a circled motion around her eyes with her hand, "black tresses that shine like the evening sky," she flipped her hair in an exaggerated motion, "a deceptively demure personality," she folded her hands in front of herself, tilted her head down and fluttered her eyes at the Uchiha demurely, "and undying devotion, she has won my very being!" Sasuke's eyes widened at "she." "For I love Hyuuga Hinata!"_

_Silence._

_Sasuke spluttered. "B-but, you're, y-you—"_

"_Oh, and by the way," Naruto stood up and tossed her hair over her shoulder again. Suddenly, she was shrouded in a cloud of smoke, and Sasuke could barely make out her silhouette._

_He froze when a rather masculine voice cut through the silence._

"_I'm a guy."_

…

_The next day, Sasuke was once again announced a traitor of Konoha, and Naruto and Hinata were wed. They had twenty whisker-marked babies with varying hair colours of blonde and black, and they were a happy, happy family._

_The end._

_**Sorry. But I'm not sorry. You were warned.**_


	8. Ready, Set, Oh Hell No

**Rating****: T**

**A/N****: ****Holy SHIT my head just about exploded when I saw how many more follows and favourites this story got. I think it was around ~100 favs and ~150 follows when I last updated? And then I come back and my head explodes; over 50 more favs and well over 50 more follows. Word count this time is ~10.5k.**

**Disclaimer****: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Ready, Set, Oh Hell No**

Naruto groaned when the incessant sound of her alarm clock broke through the early morning calm. With a sluggish movement, she turned to face the accursed contraption and opened one bloodshot eye. '5am.'

It was by no means early by her standards. That is, her _mind's_ standards. It seemed that her body was not yet trained to wake up earlier than 6am on a daily basis after less than 6 hours of sleep, unlike her future-past body. Waking up early was something that her body needed some time to adjust to.

The blonde let out a suffering sigh as a hand whipped out to silence the damned noisemaker. She'd have to work on resetting her internal clock to something more manageable and practical, as she couldn't afford to spend a full third of a day's time sleeping. Not with everything finally starting, no.

Today was the day that she would become a Shinobi of Konoha for the second time in her two lives, and in a sense, the day that everything started(as it was the beginning of her ninja career). The day she would finally be able to feel that familiar fabric on her forehead, with it's familiar insignia representing her status as a proud member of Konoha's Shinobi forces.

With a small smile—happy, nostalgic, and with a hint of melancholy—Naruto dragged her protesting body to the bathroom. Today was the day, and nothing was going to make her enjoy the day any less than the first time.

* * *

The written test was easy for Naruto. Naturally so.

Each question only required a glance(or for the longer questions, a quick perusal) before Naruto had the answer and swiftly jotted it down. Inwardly, she had to thank Tsunade and Sakura of her time for practically beating the knowledge into her brain in preparation for Hokage-dom, from all forms of math, science, and the arts to history and the endlessly confusing web of politics. The supposed 2-hour long test took Naruto all of 15 minutes to complete, and she had taken to observing each of her soon-to-be comrades with a hidden smile.

Her eyes wandered to the teachers sitting at the front of the classroom, and with no small amount of glee she realized that Mizuki was not there. It seemed the Sandaime had taken her advice.

About a month ago, she informed him about the pale-haired man and what he had done to her originally. Truth be told, the event—along with the man's existence itself—had completely slipped her mind until he had been placed as a replacement for Iruka when the scarred man called in sick during a test day. She had gone to the Sandaime with her news as soon as school had let out to inform him about Mizuki's possibly traitorous actions, and suggested he have ANBU silently observe the man. Aside from the little she already knew about him, she had gained no more pertinent information that could aid her in making a decision about Mizuki's future. When she was younger, she had thought of the man as the very incarnation of evil himself… But after seeing strange and borderline insane characters like Orochimaru, Madara, and Kaguya, Mizuki's own sense of ambition meant very little to Naruto.

Besides, Mizuki hadn't done anything yet, technically. Well, as far as she knew, at least. He could be at home under house arrest, or deep within the torturous cells of T&amp;I, and Naruto didn't know. What she _did_ know for certain was that the Sandaime would handle things accordingly to protect his village, but if Mizuki was proven innocent and reformed he would be released. Either way, Naruto was fine with it. The man was the side-kick type, and without the intelligence of Kabuto, she doubted he'd go down the same route.

Naruto frowned as her thoughts wandered from the snake apprentice to another ex-apprentice to Orochimaru, one that was still loyal to Konoha.

She was supposed to use her specialized seal the day after she made it. She wanted to remove the cursed seal of heaven as soon as she could, it was the reason why she had rushed to complete her own counter-seal the night she returned from Suna. But certain… Events, prevented her from doing so.

She grimaced as she remembered how each attempt ended. Being the counter-seal's creator and therefore being the one who understood it best, she had to be the one to use it. See, the thing about the more complex seals? The higher the complexity, the more chakra used in the making. The more intricacies and foibles traced to the original creator. It was almost like a built-in patent, ensuring that the seal recognized the original creator(and the creator alone). Therefore, the more likely the seal was to explode if anyone other than the creator used it. Naruto knew how to make universal seals that could be used by any, and a perfect example was her modified explosive tag. But again, that one wasn't complex in any sense of the word or technique; it's sole purpose was to explode. Even if it, for whatever reason, rejected the user's chakra and reacted, it would still do what it was made to do: explode.

Another drawback was the amount of chakra and the level of chakra control required for her specialized seals. These were requirements that only she and very few S-class ninja could achieve, as vast chakra stores and control typically didn't go hand-in-hand.

The point: Naruto was the only one able to use her seal. She was the only one that could perform the ritual to remove the cursed seal of heaven, and to do that she needed to Chihenge as Fuuko and approach Anko. _Therein lied the problem_.

For _whatever_ reason, the snake mistress was after Fuuko's hide. No, it wasn't just "Fuuko," she was also after Naruto's hide. And the blonde could not reason out why, couldn't figure out what she had done to get a pissed off snake summoner on her tail, looking for blood. When she had found Anko the day after her own seal's completion, the woman's originally bland look morphed into a manic grin with insanity dancing in her eyes.

Naruto's reaction was, obviously, to run the fuck away.

Looking back on it, that may have been the reason why Anko's attempts to capture Fuuko and Naruto grew more frequent, more desperate, and more destructive. The fact that she kept running probably incensed the purple-haired Kunoichi a substantial degree. Whatever was the case, Naruto had given up on the idea of removing the cursed seal of heaven for the time being. Anko showed no signs of being afflicted by the debilitating pains she had experienced when the two had met for the first time, so Naruto had decided she would wait until the snake mistress' ire died down before approaching her again.

The blonde refocused her eyes and pushed away her musings, only to realize that there was still about an hour on the clock. Her eyes wandered around the classroom again, noting that most people were still struggling with the test. Sakura had finished, of course, and was ogling Sasuke's profile. Said boy was staring ahead, seemingly trying to ignore the rather obvious stares he had garnered with a rather prominent twitch in his left eye. He was probably done with the test, too. Naruto couldn't see Shino's face from where she sat, but she could see that the boy was still writing. Hinata was also writing, and for a moment their eyes locked before the Hyuuga heiress "eep"-ed and turned back to her test. Kiba was… Making origami with his test. Well, _attempting_ to; it looked more like a crumpled ball of paper, what with all the tell-tale creases from failed attempts. How had he passed the first time around? Ino was going back and forth between glaring daggers at Sakura—an action which was all-too-happily reciprocated—and ogling Sasuke herself. Chouji was writing with one hand while his other occasionally disappeared into the chip bag on his desk… Of course. Shikamaru was—… Well, Naruto shouldn't have been surprised. In fact, the idea appealed to her much more than any of the other offered alternatives, as she didn't have a bag of chips, a rival that was willing to hold a staring contest with her, a gaggle of fangirls to ignore, or the urge to make "art" from her test.

With a sigh, she rested her head on her crossed arms as she turned to the window to watch the clouds. The gentle warmth of the sun and the calming shifts of the wispy masses in the sky made her eyelids begin to feel weighted, and after a few minutes, she had followed the Nara's example.

The soft sound of breathing and the annoyed twitching of a certain scarred Chuunin were the only indications that Naruto had mentally checked out for the rest of the hour.

* * *

"Alright class, next you will be demonstrating your ability with the three basic Ninjutsu: Kawarimi, Henge, and Bunshin. We will be going in alphabetical order, so be prepared when it is your turn." Iruka began calling up students one by one to demonstrate their proficiency, and the Chuunin in the room jotted down notes on their clipboards with each performance.

Realizing that she wouldn't be called for a while, Naruto turned her attention inward to search for the familiar chakra of her tenant and friend.

'Yo, Kurama.'

She felt the fox shift as their mental connection grew stronger. Had he been asleep? **'… What do you want, brat.'**

'_Someone_ woke up on the wrong side of the bed today,' Naruto thought offhandedly. 'And nothing, just figured I'd pass the time talking to you. What're you doing? You weren't sleeping, were you?'

'**I'm debating whether or not I chance ripping your head off to see if I die along with you.'**

Naruto smirked. 'I'd like to see you try, furball.'

'**You're annoying.' **A low growl accompanied the statement.

'Hey,' Naruto chided in a fake reprimanding tone. 'Don't start with that "you're annoying" business. Next thing I know you're going to start speaking in monosyllabic "hn" sounds and style your tails to look like a duck's ass.'

Kurama made a frustrated snort.** '… This is **_**exactly**_** what I'm talking about. I know this is you we're talking about, but even you weren't this… Foolish. Prodding. And… Familiar.'**

'Hmm?' The blonde allowed the humor to fade away slightly, but her teasing smile remained. 'What do you mean, Kurama?'

'**I understand that there was a large gap of time that you were on your own, but for me there is no dividend between our alliance from the battle against Madara and now. Something happened between then and now, and whatever that "something" is has made you even more insufferable than before.'**

Naruto's grin faltered slightly and she scratched her cheek. "… I never told you?" She whispered, almost inaudible.

'**Don't speak aloud, kit. And no, I assume not, since I have no idea what you are talking about.'**

The blonde bit her lip as she tried to recall her past conversations with the fox. It was true, she had never told him, not the full truth. She had just assumed that he would know, that he would regain memories from then as well. But that wasn't the_ real_ Kurama, it was a fabricated being within a memory. She had been foolish to assume.

'… Well… How to explain…' Naruto scratched the back of her head as she worried her lip between her teeth. 'You know that I was in a Genjutsu, right? That the Eternal Tsukuyomi had gotten me.'

She took Kurama's silence as agreement and continued. 'Well, in my dream, life had gone on for… I don't know, twelve years? I had stayed friends with you, and I guess some interactions between us had changed in that time.' Naruto shook her head. 'Why the sudden change though? I mean, up until now you've kinda played along with it, to the point that it just felt natural.'

Naruto felt the fox shrug. She gave a manic grin to no one in particular and the tone of her mind's voice took on a higher-pitched, mocking tone. 'Aw, is Kura-tan becoming a huge softy? Was Kura-tan actually having fun with our friendly bickering?'

Kurama's eyes flashed dangerously and Naruto could feel the faintest bit of Killing Intent. **'You're pushing it. I know that **_**no**_** version of myself would allow anyone to call me that… that vile sobriquet!'**

'Hmm… I dunno, Kurama,' She tapped her fingers to her head, a sly grin forming. 'My mind is a place of possibilities. I'm the most unpredictable ninja after all; thinking up a Kurama as docile as a _house-cat_ isn't as impossible as you would think. Quite domestic, if one had to say.'

She felt the fox freeze. **'… No. No, you are not saying what I think you are saying.'**

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the fox's strong denial. She didn't understand why he was taking the prospect of a fake rendition of himself being… different. None of the changes were anything major, of course, even if some of dream-Kurama's new peculiarities were a little odd. But it was just that; a dream. Naruto knew he was prideful, and probably didn't think of her as a friend as much as she thought of him as one. Was he truly that prideful and incessant on keeping up a certain image?

She had been prepared to voice her opinions, but her own name broke through her thoughts as her attention was wrenched outwards. "Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto blinked a few times before nodding and standing from her seat. As she made her way to the front of the classroom, she noted that the amount of derisive comments and snickers were noticeably less than the first time she had been in that situation.

Iruka looked at her with a carefully blank face as he continued speaking. He was in teacher mode. "Kawarimi, Henge, and Bunshin. In that order."

The blonde debated whether or not to start her "prodigious" streak then or later. Yes, she had said she needed to attract Tobi's attention, but she preferred if Fuuko was their main target at the moment, if they had one at all. She mentally shook her head. 'Not yet,' she thought silently. 'But maybe just a little prank.'

With a smirk, Naruto wove through the unneeded hand seals and slowed her movements substantially, fast enough to pass but slow enough to be convincing that she had been under a mentor's instruction for less than a year. She switched with a chair that sat outside of the classroom, and heard surprised murmurs from the students and some of the other Academy teachers. She smiled when she sensed an emotion of pride permeate Iruka's familiar chakra.

Naruto didn't bother to go through hand seals this time, and she henge'd into a perfect replica of the Sandaime. She strolled over to the door of her classroom and knocked three times evenly, waiting for someone to answer. A dark-haired woman with black hair styled in a messy perm and oval glasses, her eyebrows hiding beneath her hairline, opened the door and immediately found that her jaw had gone slack. Suzume-sensei, if Naruto remembered correctly.

"H-hokage-sama," the dark-haired woman choked out and Naruto lifted a graying eyebrow. Was the woman truly that flustered, or was Naruto's henge just that good? "We're—the graduation e-exam—we didn't—"

Naruto sauntered past the woman and stood in front of Iruka, looking expectantly at him. She wove through the seals for Bunshin and watched her side as five other Sandaime-copies poofed into existence, all looking expectantly at the scarred Chuunin.

His blank mask slipped and he gaped in realization.

Before he could voice his epiphany, however, Naruto released the clones and the henge, a playful smirk reaching her lips. "So, Iruka-sensei, do I pass?"

There was a pause.

Suddenly, the classroom exploded into chaos, questions and shouts were voiced.

"How did he do that!?"

"That can't be Naruto!"

"He must've cheated!"

The rushed and frantic shouts caused Iruka to snap out of his daze and yell out at the rowdy students. "Calm down, ALL OF YOU! If you don't, you will all retake the test!" That was all it took, and the lingering threat speared and killed the remaining protests without mercy. Iruka turned to Naruto and looked at her with an appreciative gaze before patting her on the shoulder. He grinned. "You did well, Naruto."

She beamed at him and walked over to her seat, noticing the rather obvious stares the class gave her. Even Shikamaru was foregoing sleep, and Sasuke wasn't being his usual broody self. Just a little twitchy and with a growing scowl.

'So,' Naruto turned her attention inward as she settled back into her seat, her fingers folded together and her head tilted in a deceptively innocent gesture. 'I assume you didn't know you could purr.'

She would swear she heard the fox make a strangled dying noise within her mind scape.

* * *

Again, Naruto was waiting for her turn. The third part of the Graduation exam was an assessment of Taijutsu ability, and students went up against the proctor to try and land a single hit.

She had decided to, once again, turn her attention inward and either hold a conversation with or rile Kurama, depending on his mood at the moment. She had noticed him mumbling and whispering to himself when her class filtered out into the training field, and curiosity arose quickly like a bird taking flight.

'So, what are you doing?'

Her reply was a disgruntled noise that couldn't be placed. **'Nothing.'**

Naruto rolled her eyes. 'How many times have you told me, "nothing" now? I've detected a pattern, you know. You tend to avoid the subject of your fellow Bijuu.' She sent a mental glare to the fox in a show of skepticism. 'Were you talking to them again? Why the secrecy? I get the part about protecting me from their possibly blood-thirsty tendencies, but I don't think—'

'**I was trying to figure out a few things, about the Six Paths Sage chakra you have,'** he murmured.

Naruto allowed a quiet, "ah" slip from her lips. She was still a little skeptical, but the matter of the Sage chakra was more important. Before she could ask the question that had formed in her mind Kurama quickly interrupted, already knowing what was on the tip of her tongue.

'**And before you ask, no, I haven't figured out why we can't used any of the cloaks you had during the war. I'm still working on it. Be patient, brat.'** His reply resulted in a low grumble from the blonde as she fell into her private thoughts over the matter.

Yes, something that Naruto had realized recently was that she was unable to utilize Kurama Chakra Mode, Kurama Mode, Tailed Beast Sage Mode, or Six Paths Sage Mode. They had started with attempting Kurama Chakra Mode after they reached the decision that she was ready—she had built up her physical strength, re-learned most of her jutsu, and was at the peak of her young body's capability—and were very much surprised to find that they were unable to achieve the mode. They had exchanged some words and fears, then tried Kurama Mode and a safer rendition of Tailed Beast Sage Mode(only a smaller draw of Nature chakra) only to find that, for whatever reason, they simply could not complete the modes. It wasn't as though their chakra pools were out of balance, that Kurama was drawing too much of her chakra or vice versa; no, they went through the proper motions, but it _just didn't work_. Eventually they decided to try the Six Paths Sage Mode(as she had been able to utilize it in the mind scape during her first meeting with the fox since coming to the past), but to their dismay, that didn't work either.

A theory the two had developed was that the Six Paths Sage chakra was unusable by her current form, that it was lacking in proper Sage training and could not even draw on the nature chakra around it yet. It would explain why she had been able to use the Six Paths Sage chakra in her _mind scape _where she didn't have a physical shell to inhibit her, at the very least. For the advanced Bijuu Modes, they hypothesized that the Six Paths Sage chakra caused an interference, and that she would need more training than before to balance out the Sage chakra, Six Paths Sage chakra, her own chakra, and Kurama's chakra all at once. Naruto hoped that, with any luck, she would be able to at least access Kurama Chakra Mode after she completed her Sage Training; she needed that at the very least if she wanted to properly beat some sense into Obito.

Her only saving grace was that the lesser Jinchuuriki forms were ridiculously easy to manage and control. The Initial form, which enshrouded her in a layer of red chakra and had resulted in claws, sharper canines and an over-all more "beastly" appearance, no longer had the outward "side affects" if she so chose. Perhaps it was because she was on better terms with Kurama, but the chakra no longer had the pungent and thick hatred interlaced with it, which made it easy to control and keep hidden while training. The Demon Fox Cloak was also rather simple to utilize, and she could reach a nine-tailed version. Version 2 was a bit special this time around; unlike the previous transformations, she could control whether or not she wanted the chakra to be harmful or not. It was no longer fueled by Kurama's hatred but her own emotions; the more powerful her hatred and anger, the more cancerous the chakra became. While it could be useful, it was harmful to both her and Kurama, searing the outer layer of skin as it had before but also "burning me alive," as Kurama had complained.

'So,' Naruto re-focused her attention to the conversation, 'what else were you doing? Just thinking about that?'

Kurama snorted. **'Something like that.'**

Naruto was about to ask for clarification when a voice called out her name, essentially cutting her off.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you're next." She mentally cursed as she walked over to the middle of the circle that the students had formed. Iruka had some really awful timing, sometimes.

"To pass, you need to land a hit on me, and within the allotted time." He motioned over to a fellow Chuunin, who nodded and held a hand above the timer. "You have 5 minutes to do so."

Naruto nodded and settled into a stance opposite of Iruka. At the shout of, "Hajime," she disappeared in a burst of wind, not using Shunshin but pure speed, and swiped a kick to Iruka's head. A small gasp was heard before he ducked and narrowly avoided the blow, reaching out to block the fist that followed the kick. His hand wrapped around her fist, causing Naruto to smile. 'It's been a while since I've fought someone other than a clone.'

With a quick movement, she wrenched her hand from his grip, shocking Iruka with the force and resulting in a bruised wrist(that would heal over soon, thanks to Kurama). The faintest pulse of chakra had been sent into his system, momentarily freezing his movements. She twisted in midair and leapt over his shoulder to grab the collar of his vest, then she yanked him into a choke-hold, causing everyone to gasp. Everything happened within the span of two seconds.

She poked the side of Iruka's neck with her free hand and a wide grin spread across her face. "Gotcha, Iruka-sensei."

Naruto released him and shook her slightly sore wrist, already feeling the damage repair itself. Iruka walked over to a stunned Chuunin to retrieve his clipboard as Naruto walked into the crowd of students, both of them ignoring the obvious astonishment of the other observers. All the students present had varying looks of shock, from jaw-on-the-ground-and-spluttering to simply wide-eyed.

Iruka flashed Naruto a grin which was reciprocated by said blonde, and she inwardly cheered.

Maturity be damned, she forgot how good it felt to show off a little.

* * *

"How did you do on the test."

He wasn't asking a question, he was demanding an answer, and Naruto noticed. She turned her head languidly to greet the Nara who was currently standing rather close, trying to get a peek of her test sheet. They had gotten their written test, Ninjutsu test, and Taijutsu scores back along with their hitai-ate, and Naruto currently held her written test in front of her. She held it at just the right angle that he couldn't see the score, and it seemed to incentivize him more. She gave a one armed shrug.

"I did fine, how about you?"

The Nara's arm shot out to grab her test but Naruto's hand easily dodged the attempt, keeping the test paper out of his reach. Her eyes widened slightly; Shikamaru had never been so dead-set on something, let alone outwardly show it to this extent.

Shikamaru noticed Naruto's staring and his arm retreated as though it were on fire. A light blush dusted his cheeks and his eyes widened with a look that said, "did I really do that?" Naruto inwardly chuckled as he muttered a faint 'troublesome' that only she could hear.

After some consideration, Naruto handed her test paper to the shocked Nara and smiled. "You probably have a good reason, huh? I won't question it."

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head. He had only been curious and he had a nagging suspicion that wouldn't go away, but who was he to turn away the solution to his troubles? He grabbed the paper and his eyes widened when he saw the "100" mark at the top of the paper.

"…. Kami, I KNEW it—"

Naruto's hands quickly clamped over the Nara's mouth as the words were spoken, causing the rest of the students in the room to turn around and watch them. Naruto waved the speculative gazes away.

"Nothing, nothing!" She needed to catch the _Tobi's_ attention, _not_ the attention of_ her twelve-year-old peers_. And not _now_, either. She didn't want to be some protected genius of the village… "I just pulled a prank on a Nara and Shika wanted to confirm, that's all!"

Some students scoffed and turned back to reviewing their own scores, allowing Naruto to breath. The lingering gazes of a few others were noticed, but they didn't worry her too much. Shikamaru was glaring daggers at her, however, and she turned a pointed stare at him in return.

"I knew you were hiding even more than you let on," Shikamaru muttered. "About a year ago when you stopped coming to class unless there was a quiz, I also noticed that, every time I looked, you were asleep. For a while I actually thought you just didn't do well on the test… but this confirms it. You just finished them that fast. There's also the painfully obvious way you always manage to trounce me at Shogi," he winced slightly at his own admission. "Why do you act like an idiot?"

Naruto feigned hurt. "You wound me." At Shikamaru's incredulous stare she shook off the act and coughed. "Er, I don't see why it matters, Shika. Maybe I just don't want the extra attention that being a 'genius' would get me. Besides, I don't act like an idiot, I just don't bother to show off my skills to garner attention like a dumbass."

"You always wanted attention," Shikamaru deadpanned.

Naruto rolled her eyes. It was true, she _did_ want attention when she was this age. But she just didn't see the point in something so flimsy, now. "Exactly, I _used_ to. But there is something more important that takes precedence."

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Where did you learn that word?"

Naruto stared at her friend and blinked owlishly. "… Huh?"

"Precedence. Since when did you…?" Shikamaru trailed off before shaking his head and sighing. "Never mind. Too troublesome."

The blonde laughed. "C'mon Shika, surely you realized that there was more to me after our _first_ Shogi match, right? I mean, you _are_ the Nara genius of our year."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes before staring pointedly at Naruto, who shrugged under his scrutinizing gaze. "… Well, you're definitely different. Too different for it to just be due to your mentorship or whatever. What changed?"

"… Lots of things," Naruto intoned. "I woke up. I matured. That's all there is too it."

"I can understand a change in demeanor, but typically, speech quirks don't change." Shikamaru's gaze was cold and assessing(well, as cold and assessing as an Academy 12-year-old could look), and Naruto sighed.

"… You're not the first person to say that." She combed a hand through her hair and silently noted that it had gotten quite a bit longer. "Is it so bad? I mean, if you didn't realize until recently, it's fine right? I still do say 'dattebayo' sometimes, I've just cut down on it. Doesn't really have that intimidating vibe that a future Hokage needs." She smiled as she finished speaking, earning her a casual smirk from the Nara.

"I guess not." He shifted back into a serious look. "So, are you going to continue allowing people to see you as the 'class idiot'? Or are you going to actually let people see just how strong you are?"

Naruto grinned. "It's not as if _you_ know 'just how strong' I am, but don't worry. I will eventually, since I can't hide it forever, after all. And I'm going to need it to protect my precious people."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "Your 'precious people'?"

"You, Chouji, and everyone else of course."

Iruka walked back in at that moment and called everyone to attention. "Class, settle down! Get back in your seats, I'm about to announce the teams!"

Everyone darted to their seats, apparently anxious to find out who ended up on what team.

Naruto let her gaze wander to her two soon-to-be teammates. She hadn't really paid attention to it, but Sakura had been stealing glances at her all morning, and each time she did it set the blonde's hair on end. Even if her body hadn't endured the training and years of experience, her sense were still honed to react to the smallest of presences, the smallest of changes, and the slightest of intent and emotions—be they positive and friendly or negative and deadly. Naruto had a feeling she knew exactly what was eating at the pinkette, and she wasn't exactly excited to deal with the situation.

'**What is it?'** Kurama questioned, stirring Naruto from her silent musing.

She shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips at the fact that Kurama was the one who instigated conversation. 'Nothing. Just thinking about my teammates. Sakura has been awfully nervous all morning, and not because of the test, either.'

Naruto heard a quiet snort. **'The little pink bratling was always nervous around the Uchiha brat.'**

'No, not that either,' Naruto replied, ignoring the slight against her friend. 'Not only did my clone cause a scene a while ago, I also had a hand in… putting some of my classmates in their place, during the Jounin visitation.'

'**That was a while ago.'**

'Yes, but the problem was never resolved. When we're announced as teammates, it'll most likely only worsen unless I address the situation and clear the air—'

"Team Seven, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto, under the instruction of Jounin Hatake Kakashi."

Almost on cue, Naruto's newly-named teammates turned around and stared at her, causing her to raise an eyebrow. '_That _didn't happen last time.'

'**Well, to the Uchiha, you're an unknown factor. You've already proven that you're more than the class dobe, and the—'**

'What? I did?' Naruto questioned, blinking a few times.

Kurama grunted angrily. **'Don't interrupt. And yes, you have. To a certain extent, at least. And with the pink one, there's your little "situation." Of course things are going to be different this time around.'**

Naruto hummed as she waved to her teammates, resulting in one whipping her head around quickly while the other narrowed his eyes before turning around as well.

* * *

As Naruto suspected, Kakashi was 3 hours late… Or at least, his tardiness was steadily reaching that point. She had little doubt in her mind that it would, as there was no conceivable reason for him to come earlier this time around when he was exactly 3 hours late the first time. Everything was as it was last time; Team 7 was the last to move on, her teacher was late, Sasuke was practically simmering at this point…

Make that almost everything.

Sakura, while still holding true to her usual fan-girl tendencies and fluttering about the Uchiha, also sent glances Naruto's way on occasion. Sometimes, said glances were more like attempts to bore a hole through the blonde's head.

'And I was at the good part, too.' With a small sigh, Naruto closed the book she was reading—she had been reading her copy of "The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi" for the 5th time in this time period—and locked eyes with Sakura, who jumped slightly at the sudden eye contact.

Naruto jerked her thumb to the door as she stood up. "Sakura, let's get this over with before our sensei gets here, yeah?"

Sakura's eyes widened and Naruto watched with faint amusement as her eyes darted from Sasuke, to her, to the floor, and to the clock. "Um, but—sensei might—we should probably wait, but—"

"Sakura," Naruto spoke in a low and commanding tone, causing the girl to tense as her eyes flew to the blonde. Sasuke also tensed slightly, though his reaction was more discreet. "We should clear the air before our sensei comes. I'd say we have about fifteen minutes, so let's get going. _Now_."

With a small, "eep," Sakura nodded and fell into step behind Naruto, who resisted scoffing. If all it took to get Sakura to listen was her commanding tone, she really should've done so the first time.

"Where are you going?" The blonde sighed and cocked her head back slightly to look at the raven-haired boy who spoke.

"Don't worry Sasuke, we'll be back before—" Naruto was cut off.

"We're supposed to wait for our Jounin-sensei."

Naruto didn't miss the underlying irritation in his tone and obvious tenseness in his carefully restrained form. "Sasuke, like I told Sakura, he'll probably be another fifteen minutes or so. Less now, actually, because you're holding us up. We will be quick."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously and he lowered his hands to glare at the blonde. "How do you know that f—"

"For _fucks_ sake, Sasuke!" Naruto's exasperated growl left her two teammates somewhat taken aback. The blonde herself was berating the lack of forethought on everything; they were twelve again, and with the age was the almost palpable naiveté. Re-thinking her interactions with her _preteen_ friends was something that she had to do at some point, but for now, she had other things to worry about. "We'll be back, why can't you understand that? What kind of impression do you think it'll leave if our team is completely dysfunctional from the get go? I'm actually trying to fix that problem, but you are preventing me from even attempting to rectify the situation. If, by _some_ unknown force we _don't_ make it back before our sensei gets back, then I'll take responsibility it that makes you feel better." She rubbed the bridge of her nose, ignoring her shocked teammates. "Let's go, Sakura."

The two left the classroom and walked a ways down the hall until Naruto couldn't feel any chakra signatures in a 15-meter radius.

Naruto abruptly turned around with her arms crossed and leaned against the wall, facing Sakura who had a decidedly confused-yet-thoughtful expression on her face. "Okay, Sakura, mind telling me why you keep looking at me like I'm an ignited explosive tag?"

Sakura snapped out of whatever stupor she had fell into during their short walk and ducked her head, a prominent red blooming across her face. Naruto gave a pained look at the display. She knew that Sakura was weak-minded and… like _this_, before. She knew that, and her Sakura had often spoke on the subject with her. But still, to know the woman that she could become, and to see _this_…

_It was not long after Sasuke had left Konoha for the second time to find his "truth." Naruto had been extra attentive to Sakura's mannerisms, trying to pick up on the slightest change in the pinkette's behaviour or routine, making absolutely certain that she was truly as fine as she claimed._

_So there they sat, in a quaint little teahouse, an angry blonde glaring daggers and a pinkette wondering what was going on. Naruto had decided to drag her teammate to have lunch and finally get the truth out of her, whether she intended on answering or not._

_Tapping her finger impatiently while staring at her teammate with a stern gaze, the blonde finally opted to speak._

"_What's going on, Sakura?"_

_The named medic-nin blinked innocently as she looked up from the menu held in her hands. "… Pardon?"_

_Naruto raked a hand down her face in exasperation. "… Sakura, you've been saying you're fine. You've been acting… Normal, I guess. But I don't know, something seems off!" She pulled at her long side-bangs in frustration. "Sometimes you zone out a little, and while you don't _seem_ depressed, the fact that your concentration is less than average is more than cause for concern! You're Haruno Sakura, the apprentice of Tsunade, the famed Medic-nin who surpassed her shishou, that helped battle against Madara and could fearlessly pound her two teammates to a pulp and proceed to heal them without breaking a sweat! Focus, concentration, and raw power is what makes you, well… You!"_

_To her aggravation, her worry only earned a reassuring smile from her friend. "It's okay, Naruto, really. I'm fine, I'm just—"_

"_Just what?" Naruto interrupted. "Talk to me Sakura-chan, you've suffered enough."_

"_And like you haven't," the pinkette mumbled. "Seriously, Naruto, it's nothing. What I've been thinking about isn't as serious as you probably think."_

_Naruto almost jumped out of her seat. "But—"_

"_It's not about Sasuke," Sakura quickly stated, calming the blonde somewhat. It wasn't long ago that Sakura had stopped referring to Sasuke as "Sasuke-kun," and Naruto still didn't know if that was a good thing or a cause for concern._

"_Then what _is_ it about?" Naruto asked skeptically._

_Sakura sighed, took a sip from her tea and slowly placed the cup down on the table before speaking. "I've been thinking about you, Naruto."_

_The blonde blinked. Huh. She wasn't expecting that. "… Me?" She questioned lamely._

_The pinkette rubbed her hair between her fingers mindlessly. "Yeah. Well, I guess I've been thinking about Team 7 as a whole, but—"_

_Naruto actually _did_ jump out of her seat this time. "So you _have_ been thinking about the teme!"_

_Her outburst earned her a hard smack on the top of her head, causing her to faceplant into the table. "Naruto-baka, calm down! Let me finish!"_

_Naruto leaned back in her seat, rubbing the growing lump on her forehead while muttering petulantly. Sakura sighed. "… I'm grateful to you, Naruto, in more ways than you could possibly imagine."_

_The blonde's brow furrowed in confusion at her teammate's words, and her hand—which had been raised and ready to help emphasize her cursing-of-the-teme as she yelled at no one in particular—slowly drifted down to her lap. "Er… Okay I guess? You're welcome? Everyone in Team 7 is grateful to you too, y'know, Sakura-chan. You're the medic, and you've always been the one to take care of us and make sure we don't get into trouble."_

_Sakura gave the blonde a wistful smile. "Exactly."_

_Naruto cocked her head to the side. "… I don't follow."_

"_Naruto, think about it. When we first became a team, who did I technically interact with the most?"_

"_Sasu—"_

_Sakura interrupted the reply. "When I say interact, I mean, who was it that I talked to, and also talked back? Who actually held conversations with me? Who didn't ignore me?"_

_Naruto blinked. "… Me, I guess. But—"_

"_Without knowing it, you were the one who tied Team 7 together, Naru." She sent a sad smile to Naruto. "You were the 'blonde idiot' that constantly took the brunt of Kakashi's lectures and punishments. You feigned a crush on me and talked to me, inadvertently dragging me along with Team 7 as another member instead of an unneeded factor. You had a rivalry with Sasuke that eventually extended towards a friendship, and even…" She bit her lip and shook her head._

"_The point is, you were the one who tied us together, Naru. If it wasn't for you, if it wasn't for your facade, what would I have been?" Her smile fell and she stared blankly at the lukewarm cup of tea that sat off to the side. "I would've been the extra. The useless civilian girl that was all brains and no ability. Booksmart. You are a genius in your own right, Naruto, but if you were the kind of genius that Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke were…" She looked up at Naruto, her gaze devoid of emotion. "I'm pretty sure I never would have grown to be the person I am today. I would've remained that weak, unmotivated girl, who's only dream was to be 'Sasuke-kun's' bride. I would've ended up dead."_

"_Sakura-ch—"_

"_No, Naruto, you know that I'm right." Her gaze softened and she smiled—it was genuine, and from the bottom of her heart. "Look, the point is that I'm grateful to you, Naru. I'm not bitter or anything, and I don't want you feeling guilty, sad, or whatever the hell your morally-just-self makes you feel. I just want you to know that I am so, so very lucky to have been on your team. To have been your teammate." She set the menu down and gave a cheeky grin, most likely copied from the many her blonde teammate had given in their lives. "And I wouldn't have had it any other way."_

_Naruto's eyes watered slightly, and she quickly rubbed away the moisture before giving her own foxy grin in reply._

Naruto had been very, very proud that day. Proud to call Sakura her friend. Proud to know that, the once meek and delicate flower of their team had become a strong-willed and powerful Kunoichi of many strengths. It was a memory from the Genjutsu, but even before the Tsukuyomi Naruto knew Sakura to be a powerful Kunoichi. One that had Naruto's unwavering love, loyalty, and undying respect.

And yet, here she stood, watching the weak mess of a girl in front of her. If what _her_ Sakura from the Genjutsu told her was true, then she truly had depended on Naruto being the "dead last" to make a place for herself in Team 7. While unconventional and shaky at best, it was still a method that had worked for her.

But Naruto wasn't going to let something like that be the foundation for the girl's strength this time around, no. She was saddened that the girl before her was so weak, but she felt she owed much to the Sakura that had saved her, Sasuke's, and Kakashi's lives countless times before. She wouldn't be able to repay_ that_ Sakura, but she could help this one. The fact that the girl in front of her was the same girl Naruto had come to love and adore as a sister in all but blood… It left her disillusioned and disappointed. But she would still do her best, if not just because of the latent potential she _knew_ the girl in front of her possessed.

With a sigh, she spoke. "Sakura, I know what you're thinking. Or what you're feeling." The addressed girl flinched and stared up at Naruto, wide-eyed. "You don't know what to think of me. You've been forced to reevaluate me, because I am far different than what you thought I was, than what you believed was right. You're scared." It was similar to what Naruto felt at the moment. The girl in front of her was _not_ the Sakura-chan she knew, not the undaunted, confident and strong Kunoichi she knew. The one who stood in front of her was Haruno Sakura, the young civilian girl who knew nothing but her books and her small civilian life. If Naruto wanted this to work, she also needed to adjust her own view of the pinkette, to reevaluate her teammate accordingly.

The girl simply stood there, shaking. Naruto narrowed her eyes. "Answer me."

Sakura jolted and her eyes widened even more before she gave a tentative nod. "Alright then," Naruto stood up straight, extending a hand to the pinkette who remained standing in the middle of the hallway. "Let's start over, shall we? I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I'd like to be your friend."

Sakura simply stared at the offered hand for a few moments, her eyes wide and confused. "… Why?" Her voice was below a whisper, and her question was most likely meant to go unheard.

"Hmm?" Naruto questioned in turn, startling the girl. "Why what?"

Sakura's gaze snapped to Naruto, and the blonde saw a familiar fire in the girl's eyes, beyond the confusion. She repressed the urge to smile. "Why do you want to be my friend? I… I treated you…"

"Like a bitch?" The word caused Sakura's eyes to widen comically before narrowing. Naruto waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Pfft, you could've been worse. Much worse. At least you didn't speak behind my back, and you never shot me pitying glances on occasion. You made your feelings for me rather clear, in my opinion. And you hated me for _me_, not some specter of a power beyond comprehension."

Sakura's brow furrowed. "… Just because of that, you want to be my friend?"

"Well," Naruto scratched her cheek and gave a one armed shrug. "You're also pretty headstrong, once one gets past that meek facade. So… Yeah, I'd like to be your friend, if you'll have me?"

Sakura stared at the offered appendage for what felt like an eternity. Then, she smiled and took Naruto's hand, and the latter carefully scanned her face, looking for any traces or changes. "I'm… I'm sorry about what happened during the Jounin visitation." Her words were spoken with confidence and conviction, with a clear hint of the hidden power that the girl possessed. Naruto didn't repress the urge to smile, this time.

The blonde shrugged as she let their hands drop. "Eh, it's alright. Fuuko told me what happened; I hear she gave you guys quite the scare."

Sakura gaped. "'Fuuko'…? Do you know Namikaze-san?" She questioned.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. She's my mentor… And relative, one could say." This caused Sakura jaw to hit the floor.

"Wha-WHAT!? You're related!?" Naruto's motion of placing her index finger to her mouth caused Sakura to speak in quieter tones. "So… So… You're related to the Yondaime?"

Naruto chuckled out of amusement, but also with the purpose of stalling for a few precious moments as she crafted her half-truth. "Hah, Fuuko has Uzumaki blood, you know. Though I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't catch that, as she has blonde hair and goes by Namikaze."

Here, Sakura paled. Naruto quirked an eyebrow at this, but then she heard the words, "… I insulted her clan, I _insulted_ her _clan, right_ in front of her…" muttered.

There was a pause.

And then, Naruto broke into raucous laughter, causing the pinkette's eyes to narrow dangerously. "Naruto-baka, what's so funny!?" Almost immediately, Sakura withdrew her statement and stuttered. "I-I mean, uh, what I meant to say—"

"Don't worry about it Sakura," Naruto eased the girl's worries, still trying to calm her laughter. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eyes and smiled. "Fuuko doesn't mind, and neither do I. As long as you're my friend, then you're protected from our wrath."

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but Naruto's wide eyes caused her to pause before voicing her opinion.

"… Ah," Naruto began. "Let's go back. We don't have a lot of time."

Before Sakura could ask Naruto what she was talking about, the blonde Shunshin'd the two to the room and plopped into her seat, pulling out her favourite book. She settled into a comfortable position, absently noting that Sakura was trying and struggling to form coherent words to question what just happened(she was still reeling from the technique).

By the time the pinkette recovered, the door slid open to reveal a spiked mess of silver hair and a bored looking face concealed by a hitai-ate and mask. Naruto grinned behind her book as her other two teammates whipped around to look at their new teacher.

Sakura yelled a rather incensed, "You're LATE!" at the top of her prepubescent lungs, causing Naruto's ears to go numb for a few seconds.

The silver-haired Jounin stepped into the room and Naruto fixed her eyes to the book. She could feel the Jounin's eyes look at each of them individually, his eyes lingering on her a second longer.

"First impression… I hate all of you, you're boring. Meet me on the roof."

Naruto inwardly scoffed. 'Says the bastard that can't hold a decent conversation to save his life, except when he's being uncharacteristically nosy in regards to innocent women,' she thought sarcastically. She cared for him and was somewhat appreciative for his help from a few months ago, but since then she had made it a point to avoid him like the damn plague when henge'd as Fuuko.

As her teammates filtered out—she noticed, with a small smile, that Sakura had glanced back with worry when Naruto didn't follow—Naruto Shunshin'd to the roof and made herself comfortable before the Jounin noticed her presence. It didn't take long, as she hadn't been putting particular effort in masking her presence. The man stiffened almost immediately.

"Hi sensei," Naruto greeted plainly. She continued reading.

A small silence fell, only to be interrupted by a rough cough from Kakashi. "Er… How did you get up here?"

'How the hell do you think?' Naruto thought sarcastically. 'Is it really that difficult to believe that I could use actual techniques?' She ignored Kurama's, **'actually, yes'** comment. "Shunshin."

Another small silence passed before Kakashi reiterated, with no small amount of incredulity, "_Shunshin_." As though trying to figure out if he heard correctly. Naruto decided not to answer, she really wanted to get through this part of the book.

On another note, she had to say that it was one of her favourite books, and not solely for the sentimental value, either.

She had read it about five times since she got it, and she _still_ loved it. She had contemplated disguising it as Icha Icha in an attempt to freak her teammates out but then came to the realization that they were most likely too young to even know what Icha Icha was at that point, which was a pity. It wasn't actually a bad read, to be completely honest, if one ignored the obvious liberties Jiraiya took with his writing. It was a rather trying stretch of the imagination most of the time(for whatever reason, all of the women were insanely flexible and could bend over backwards to touch their toes, complete a hyperextended split, contort their legs and torsos in strange poses… Or all of the above. Also, most of the heroines were oddly similar to a certain gambling blonde with a drinking problem…), but still, the romance scenes weren't half bad. In fact, Naruto believed that some of them would even be Ino or Sakura-approved by how _romantic_ they were. It made her smile the first time she read the series, her late sensei was quite romantic despite the rather cavalier and goofy attitude that he liked to flaunt.

Kakashi languidly walked over to her and tilted his head to the side, trying to get a look at the cover of the book she held in her hand. "'The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi,' huh? Sounds pretty boring." His comment pulled Naruto out of her musings, and she repressed the instinctive twitch that threatened to show.

The man had once told her that the book was one of the first of Jiraiya's he had ever read, and unless Kakashi didn't start reading Icha Icha until recently(which, she highly doubted) then he had already read the book. She smiled up at him, deciding to play along.

"It's a good read in my opinion, sensei. The main character shares ideals that I agree with." She shrugged. "I like it. I guess it's just not for everyone, though."

He kept his face blank. "Oh? And what are these ideals?"

Naruto momentarily placed the book down and stared at Kakashi. The man in front of her was not the same Kakashi she had come to know, come to appreciate, come to respect and care for. He was just a young and fairly inexperienced Jounin sensei that was tossed his first real Genin team, and who would be in for one hell of a time. This was not the man that had been converted into a half-Zetsu corpse in the future-past. And it wouldn't be that way ever again.

"To protect my precious people. To break the cycle of hatred caused by countless years of war, suffering, loss, death." It was the plainest and shortest manner she could phrase her goal.

She watched as Kakashi shook his head and she narrowed her eyes in response. The man was mocking her, he probably thought she was just some young child fantasizing about world peace and heroics. She couldn't blame him though, physically speaking she truly was a child. The fact that hormones had recently start coming into play didn't help either, try as she might to maintain them at a manageable level. Puberty passed her by the first time because of ignorance, but this time around it was a real bitch and she could already feel the rather violent shifts in her chakra.

"It's not so simple. World peace isn't-" She interrupted him. Naruto was right, Kakashi believed she was simply fantasizing.

"It's not world peace," she intoned. "It's understanding and acceptance. Hatred breeds more hatred, more pain and suffering." Her mind briefly wandered to the faces of the people she loved, the people she had come to know. The people that were dead, the last time she had seen them.

Naruto sighed in relief when she noticed her other two teammates arrive. Kakashi's gaze lingered on her for a brief moment before he turned to her teammates as they sat down on the steps. He gave a small nod.

"Maa, now that we're all here, let's get on with introductions, shall we? Name, likes, dislikes…"

Naruto zoned out in her book. She had gone through this before, and it wasn't anything important. She vaguely registered that Sakura didn't make her declaration of, "I hate Naruto!" that she had screamed with unrivaled passion the first time around. She also felt Sakura's gaze settle on her again and she repressed the instinctive twitch.

"You next, blondie." Naruto lifted a lazy gaze to the Jounin and nodded.

'**Don't reveal too much. You can't chance it,' **Kurama intoned.

'I know. I'm just going to go with what I said the first time.'

She didn't bother looking up from her book and languidly numbered off her rehearsed introduction. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen, I dislike the three minutes it takes to wait for it. I like to train and play pranks, though I haven't really had the chance to do that…" Her thoughts trailed. She had a prank waiting, and on a certain pale blue-haired ex-Academy teacher. "My dream is to become Hokage."

Kakashi stared at her for a few uncomfortable moments while she stared at her book with a look of complete reticence. "Hmm… And why is that?"

The blonde's head shot up and she stared at her teacher incredulously. '… I didn't change anything major, did I…?' She thought silently. 'Oh god, _Don't tell me_ it's just a matter of how I act. So what, I act like a ball of sunshine and no one gives two shits, but if I act like a stuck up prick then people care? The fuck?' She realized just how much she despised the concept of reverse psychology and repressed the urge to scowl. Kurama laughed in the back of her mind scape and she sent him a mental glare.

Naruto tapped her chin more for the sake of the action than actually thinking about her answer. "To forge unbreakable bonds is another goal of mine. Becoming Hokage would grant me the necessary abilities to aid me in protecting those precious bonds and to protect the village. That is why I want to become Hokage." Her gaze turned cold. "… But before I do that, there are tasks I must complete. A select few that I must erase from this world."

Kurama gave a derisive snort. **'Good job, you stole the Uchiha-brat's line. You even spoke with a similar vagueness.'**

Naruto mentally shrugged. 'You said not to reveal too much. Any less vague and I'd be risking more than just a reputation.'

She looked back to Kakashi who eyed her warily before turning to Sasuke. "Alright, you next." Naruto focused on her book again, not caring to hear the beginning of her life of headaches spurred on by the Uchiha seated next to her.

"Well, meet me at Training Ground 7 at 5 o'clock sharp. Don't be late…" He paused for effect. "Oh, and I wouldn't eat tomorrow if I were you. Unless you want to lose your lunch." With a single wave he disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Sasuke simply snorted and walked off, most likely going to the pier to brood, Sakura following closely behind.

After her teammates were most definitely gone, she leaned on her knee and cupped her face with a hand in a nonchalant gesture. "Kakashi-sensei, you can come out now."

Naruto sighed as the addressed Jounin appeared in front of her, his single visible eye narrowed. "What did you need?" She questioned in a light-hearted tone, mostly for the sake of lifting the oppressing feeling her sensei was giving off.

"How did you know I was nearby?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto rolled her eyes. "It's not like you were suppressing your chakra completely, you only masked it at a level you_ thought_ was enough to remain undetected by Genin."

"It was a level that Genin _shouldn't be able to detect_, at _all_, which bring me back to my question: How did you know I was nearby?" Naruto looked at his lone eye and inwardly groaned at the obvious suspicion the man was emitting.

The blonde sighed and leaned against the stairs behind her, choosing to watch the slowly shifting clouds hovering in the bright afternoon sky. "Look, I don't know why you're suspicious of me, but if you're worried I'm an imposter, a spy, or whatever, there's nothing to worry about." She glanced sidelong to the Jounin. "So, that _brings me back to my question_: What did you need?" She smirked at the slight annoyance the Jounin displayed at her sarcasm. He recovered almost immediately, however, donning the mask of nonchalance with an eye-smile. Sometimes, it was scary how easily he flipped between the two; a fearless ex-ANBU, war-torn Jounin, and a laid-back, perpetually late, careless man.

"Maa, just making sure my new team doesn't destroy itself from the inside out. I had heard that dynamics amongst you three weren't exactly the best…" He cocked his head to the side. "Imagine my surprise when the charged air that I had been expecting was strangely absent."

Naruto shrugged, and she gave a foxy grin. "It's best to always look underneath the underneath, Kakashi."

She froze slightly at her slip-up, but luckily the silver-haired Jounin was too caught up in his thoughts to notice the movement. A muttered, "similar" was heard but she shrugged off the worry and stood up, stretching.

"Well, if that's all…"

Kakashi waved a dismissive hand and she dove across the rooftops, heading over to the training grounds to set up a few trap seals. Hey, she wanted to be especially prepared for the bell test.

'**Should you really be chancing that?'**

Naruto jerked at Kurama's sudden comment, stumbling on a shingle before recovering. 'Jeez, don't startle me like that, it's not like you have a presence I can detect whenever you are about to speak. You're always with me. What do you mean?'

'**You should always be prepared for instances where you can't rely on your senses to detect potential threats,'** Kurama chided. Naruto's brow furrowed at the rather mother-hen-like mood the fox seemed to be in. '**And I mean that the scarecrow doesn't know that you can use Fuuinjutsu. You shouldn't chance it.'**

Naruto clicked her tongue. 'I can just say that I'm under Fuuko's tutelage like usual if it comes to that.'

'**You still don't know what you're going to do about your little persona,'** Kurama growled. **'This nonchalance about the issue is exactly what will be your downfall when you decide to reveal the truth. You fall back on the little lie so much that it's steadily growing more and more, and while it's still manageable now…'**

The blonde winced at the implied result. '… Yeah, I know.'

'**Unless you're planning on never telling them, though, then I suppose it would be fi—'**

'No,' Naruto quickly interrupted. 'No, I will tell them at some point. Like you said, lies stockpile. I don't intend on living a damn lie.'

A small silence fell between them, and Kurama nodded approvingly.

'**Good. So, will you be using seals?'**

'Uh… I don't know,' she replied, slowing her pace somewhat. 'Unless I can think of a reasonable cover story, I guess not—'

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted as she fell through the roof of a building and ungracefully made her way to the bottom floor of said building. She could swear Kurama was slow clapping.

She made to stand up but winced, she had quite a few bruises and abrasions… And a damned sprained ankle. Naruto resisted the urge to face palm, and Kurama's laughter wasn't helping.

'**One of the few Sages—'**

'Shut up.'

'**Defeated Pain—'**

'… Be quiet.'

'**The heritor of the Rikudou Sennin and one of the few who could take down Kaguya, and you get a **_**sprained ankle**_**!' **Naruto's eye twitched as the fox's laughter only grew with her suffering pride.

Her only consolation was the knowledge that it would heal in time for the test the next day. This incident was definitely not one that she would want to remember, and she would sooner style her hair like her grim teammate's than admit to her future-past friends that she actually got a _damn_ sprained ankle.

It was then that she detected a familiar presence approaching and looked up. She seemed to be in a changing room, as various articles of clothing were strewn about. A sliding door was positioned in front of her, somewhat fogged over from moisture. Whatever building she had crashed into was three stories high and contained a rather high humidity, which was strange for the time of year.

The familiar presence approached further and she heard the door behind her open. She turned her head and paled a deathly shade as she recognized the figure that stood before her, clad in a single towel.

"Oh, _hell_ no."


	9. To Forge Stronger Bonds

**Rating****: T**

**A/N****: ****Heh, sorry guys, I just had to. I had to. No fluffy pairing-related scene, though I'm surprised that a few of you guessed right(got the words alluding to the bathhouse I see).**** Word count is ~9.7k**

**Disclaimer****: Still don't.**

* * *

**To Forge Stronger Bonds**

Naruto sat in the middle of the clearing with her two teammates, one who was noticeably aggravated and the other who was playing with the hem of her one-piece dress. It was almost noon, and Kakashi was bound to arrive at any moment.

Earlier that morning, Naruto had gotten out of bed and made herself a rather stellar breakfast, if not just to try and distract her mind from her thoughts. The other day did not leave a good impression on her mind, and sleep had managed to evade her throughout most of the night after… That.

A cold shiver ghosted down her spine, one that was not due to the mid-morning breeze.

_Naruto stared. The man stared back. She gaped, and he was in a similar state of shock, if his wide-eyes were any indication. The blonde might've panicked, she might've tackled the man in a hug, she might've screamed and dug herself a pit to hide in. Happiness at seeing the man she hadn't seen for years battled with the worry that threatened to suffocate her; worry for the timeline and the no-doubt monumental changes their sudden meeting would cause. She couldn't move, however, and she didn't know what to do._

_She was frozen in horror at who had walked in, but abruptly gained her mobility and lungs as the figure in front of her snapped out of his own surprise, shifted slightly…_

_And his towel slipped._

_Immediately, Naruto darted up through the gaping hole she had created, trying her hardest to erase that absolutely horrific image from her mind. The stinging pain in her ankle was left ignored. The only thing she could hear was the sound of her own voice, yelling in horror and disgust at the tops of her lungs._

"_I DID NOT NEED TO SEE THAT!"_

_At first, she had frozen from fear of altering the timeline. She was not supposed to see him yet, not so soon, and with a small slip-up she had managed to fuck that up. Of course, all worry had flown out the window and was replaced by self-preservation when that damned towel slipped._

_No, she was not supposed to meet Jiraiya of the Sannin, the Great Gama Sennin, not this early(what was he even doing in Konoha already?). And no, she never, ever wanted to see something like that, EVER._

_Naruto rubbed at her eyes, as if the action would help erase the mental image from her mind._

'… _**Kit,'**__ Kurama called out to her sub-conscience._

'_Kurama! What!? What is it!?' She was desperate to find something else to distract her from the scene that had left her permanently scarred._

'_**You should extend your senses. You are being followed.'**_

'_What!?' Naruto seethed in frustration. 'Who is following me? Ugh, I so don't need this…'_

_She focused her chakra as she leapt across the rooftops, and gasped in horror when she identified the chakra signature. 'He's following us!' She hissed. 'Why!? I don't—I can't—AAGH!' She was betwixt going back and punching the man through the walls of Konoha for that mishap and simply running away. The latter was the obvious answer when thinking logically, as it would spare her mind—even if she did have many more years of experience than her body, that image was not something she ever needed to see, especially not from a man she loved and respected as a teacher and who she had once mourned for—but the urge to go back, punch his lights out, and then hug him in a bone-crushing embrace was just as compelling to her in the flurry of emotions and confusion that her mind was beset with._

'_**Calm down, brat,' **__Kurama growled impatiently, not caring to treat the matter with more delicacy.__** 'It's probably because you darted out like a madwoman. He does know that you are his godchild, so he is most likely worried about what you had just seen.'**_

'_But the last thing I want to see is him, and not entirely because I'm worried about the timeline!' She cried out in her mind. 'I just want to be left alone to deal with whatever is left of my sanity, or I might be the reason he dies this time around.' She joked half-heartedly, trying to work through the unrelenting mass of… Whatever-the-fuck-it-was, that was blinding her ability to think and process her thoughts coherently._

'_**Then you'd better pick up your pace. If you haven't noticed, he's catching up.'**_

_Naruto squeaked and immediately reached out with her chakra, trying to find the safety of the seals plastered all around her apartment. She disappeared in a flash of yellow and orange, but not before hearing Kurama's aggravated voice._

'_**Gah! You should have just used the Hiraishin in the first place, you idiot!'**_

It actually didn't take too long to calm down her nerves after the event, considering. Of course, she would _rather not_ be privy to such _private details_ of her Godfather and shishou ever again, but she was past the initial shock and horror. Heck, before he had found out her real gender, they had bathed together. The only reason why she was so shocked the other day was because she was still a little sore about their last parting and the manner of which he died, which left her a little emotionally bare in regards to the Sannin.

From that, thoughts to the problem at hand swam in her thoughts. She had contemplated if she should take advantage of their impromptu meeting and get him to allow her to sign the Toad Contract sooner, and it was still an idea she hadn't completely dismissed. For now, however, she decided that she herself wouldn't pursue the subject. If he came to her, she would accept whatever plan he had—he was bound to come and check on her, if the other day's events were anything to go off of… Right?—but she herself wouldn't pursue him. She didn't plan on letting him know about the truth, not now, and without that cushion she had no reason to hunt him down. Uzumaki Naruto had no connections to the Gama Sennin, none that she could reveal without garnering unwanted suspicion.

So, after she had made herself a filling breakfast, she headed off to the training grounds to meditate.

Belatedly, she had realized that she ought to have made breakfast for her teammates as well. The worry was dismissed however, as Sasuke would most likely turn down any food offered from her, and Sakura would be too worried about offending their teacher. It wasn't as if they hadn't managed without food the first time, anyway.

While meditating, she had realized that her proficiency in the Sage Arts was steadily improving, even without the aid of the Toad Contract. Perhaps it was the fact that she had, over the course of a year, steadily introduced her younger body to the Nature chakra that lived in abundance in Konoha. She started with simply feeling for it, grasping at wisps of the lingering energy, never really absorbing it into her chakra coils. Then she started using it as a second chakra source, albeit only slightly. She couldn't recklessly use it as impetuously as she used her own or Kurama's chakra, lest she want to end up a rather unattractive stone frog statue in the middle of Konoha.

'Still, it wouldn't be _nearly_ as bad as a stone statue of—'

Naruto slapped herself across the face to realign her train of thought. She rather pointedly ignored the confused looks her teammates cast her.

Now she was at the point where she could mix her own chakra with the Nature chakra and release it, creating a sort of sensing-mist in her immediate vicinity. Her chakra could spread out and she could feel, smell, almost see everything that occurred within the radius of the technique. The fact that, at her current level, she could utilize this to monitor the entirety of Konoha, left her feeling absolutely _rapturous_. She couldn't help but wonder about the major improvement her pre-training would have on her Sage Mode, how much further her sensing range would be, how much more in-tune with Nature chakra and how much easier it would be to use said chakra. The possibilities were endless, and if she could manage to find the individual Akatsuki and perhaps their base… Well, waiting for "key events" wouldn't be all too important anymore, not if she constantly had an idea of where the very people she was wary about were.

'It would've been helpful to know where _he_ was,' she thought petulantly.

Naruto was snapped out of her thoughts when Team 7's newly minted Jounin sensei appeared before them in a swirl of leaves. "Yo."

"You're late!" Sakura yelled, anger indicated by the prominent vein on her forehead. Sasuke was more subtle, but Naruto could feel his irritation rolling off of him in waves as well. The blonde was just happy she wasn't at the mercy of her wandering mind anymore. Kakashi merely shrugged.

"I got lost on the road of life and an old woman needed help." Naruto chuckled while her other two teammates looked at the man askance. "Anyway. I suppose I ought to tell you that… You're actually not Genin yet."

Silence.

"… _What_!?" It was Sakura who yelled once again, but Sasuke was clearly bristling with anger.

"You guys still need to pass another test," Kakashi stated blandly with an eye smile. "A survival test."

The pinkette blinked confusedly, not quite sure what to do with her raised fist(which had been primed to take down their new sensei). "… Huh? But we did those back at the Academy! We've already—"

"It is up to me if you three pass," Kakashi interrupted her. "See, the graduation exam is meant to weed out anyone truly incapable for ninja life. This is the real test, and will determine whether or not you become Konoha Shinobi."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "… So, a survival test. That isn't all, is it?"

Kakashi turned to Sasuke, his eye smile still in place. The raven-haired boy twitched. "How very astute of you. Yes, that isn't all, in fact…" He straightened dramatically, causing Naruto's two teammates to tense. The blonde debated between laughing and rolling her eyes at the dramatics. She had never been a Jounin sensei herself, so she never understood the allure to bully the Genin put under one's instruction. "… Only three teams out of the nine from this year will pass. There is a 66% failure rate, and it is highly likely that you three will be part of that percentage and go back to the Academy."

Naruto watched as Sakura paled and Sasuke glowered. Kakashi simply dug into his pocket and withdrew two bells before continuing. "The goal is to get these bells from me. You need one bell each to pass, and you have until noon to get one."

Naruto watched as Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and Sakura's brow furrowed. "Wait! There's only two bells, sensei, but three of us!"

"That is because only two of you will be able to get the bells. The one who fails to get a bell will be tied to that stump over there," he motioned to the training post with the alarm clock situated atop, "and will forego lunch."

At the mention of lunch, two stomachs growled, and Kakashi made a satisfied smile at the glares he received from two of his students. Naruto didn't miss the questioning glance the copy-nin shot her, however short it was. "Anyway, try your best, I guess." Naruto inwardly wondered about the interactions. Everything was mostly the same and her memory wasn't the best for an event from so far back, but there was something…

At the resounding, "go!" that echoed through the training grounds she suddenly found herself standing in the middle of the grassy plain, alone, with the exception of the copy-nin. Naruto pinched the bridge of her nose and grumbled a small complaint. She had to think of a plan, fast, and she didn't have a lot of time. Sakura wouldn't be _too_ difficult to convince, as their relationship had improved drastically thanks to their little talk from the other day. Sasuke, while they had made small steps, would still be a pain in the ass. "Teamwork" wasn't a word listed in his dictionary, and there was little chance that he was going to actually listen to a plan that the class-dobe had. The blonde spread her senses and detected Sakura's faint signature about 18 meters away up in a tree, most likely gathering her own thoughts. Sasuke was 24 meters away and steadily increasing the distance, most likely coming up with his own pla—

"Well?" The low voice of the silver-haired Jounin cut through her thoughts. "Why aren't you making any move? It's dangerous to leave yourself so open against an opponent."

Naruto snorted quietly. "You're not an opponent at the moment, you're a target. You're obviously not going to outright attack us, you're going to just wait and see what it is that _we_ do. You're going to give us the initiative, because you're evaluating us, and charging at us yourself would be too much of a hassle when you could just…" She motioned to the orange book he held in his hand. "… Sit back and read your book."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "… While that is true, you're losing precious time that could be used to take a bell. In an actual mission, the target won't wait for you. You have to be ready to make changes to accommodate whatever—"

"You and I both know that _that_ isn't the purpose of this test, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto drawled. "There's a reason why I'm out here, with you. You are the target, yes, and obviously that means that you will be my best bet at getting ahold of my teammates."

The hand which held the orange book fell slightly and Kakashi lifted his gaze to Naruto. Though his actions were outwardly languid and lacking expression, Naruto could detect the tensing that had resulted from her words. "… Oh? And what _is_ the purpose of this test, then?"

Naruto shook her head. "Revealing information to a Jounin-level target isn't exactly the most helpful to a few Genin. But if you must know, I am waiting for my teammates so that we can work _together_."

Kakashi "hmm'd" as he shifted his stance. "… I see. Well, seeing as you aren't doing anything, I'm getting bored."

Naruto flinched as she watched the Jounin disappear in a blur. Immediately, she went on the defensive, falling easily into the Taijutsu stance she had used during the war—a somewhat bastardized mixture of everything she had learned up to that point—as she wouldn't use the Rikudou's technique or Kawazu Kumite since neither was necessary… Or particularly _useful _without the application of Sage chakra.

It took Naruto a second to pinpoint Kakashi's exact location, and not a second too soon. He kicked at the back of her head with his right leg and she ducked, quickly switching on her heel to grab ahold of the offending appendage in the hopes of using his leverage against himself. That was when the blonde noticed something: he was still reading his book.

Her teeth clicked together in irritation. She knew that she was technically a Genin, while Kakashi was a Jounin. She knew that he had read his book the first time the bell test occurred, too. But it was still rather insulting, and for a moment, Naruto debated whether or not she should just leave him and hide in the bushes. A glance to her sensei, who looked beyond bored, helped her make a decision.

Originally, she had had decided to ban the use of all Kenjutsu, Fuuinjutsu, and Ninjutsu(with the exception of the Kage Bunshin) for the first couple of months of Team Seven's time spent together. She had a simple reason for it; it was easier to simply refrain from using any elemental or forbidden techniques than try and minimize their power and keep from harming—or killing—a teammate. Not to mention the likely questions that would follow from being caught using techniques that no freshly-minted Genin should know. Sure, she had the Sandaime to help her out of situations and her persona as "Fuuko" to help validate her abilities, but both could only go so far. Besides, Uzumaki Naruto was supposed to have _improved_ at this point, not _peaked_. "He" wasn't supposed to be an S-class shinobi. Not yet.

Of course, the decidedly bored expression her sensei wore managed to break down a vast majority of her carefully crafted thought-process to reveal the inner brashness that she had once thought she had outgrown.

So, with a low-powered chakra punch, she nabbed Kakashi right in the stomach, sending him flying with an extra boost of potent wind-chakra. But not before pulling a little trick.

When she watched his body fall to the dirt, it was with a certain level of exasperation that she watched a plume of smoke burst upwards from the clone. She knew that she had made contact with the real Kakashi, meaning he had Kawarimi'd with a Bunshin before he landed, so she immediately spread out her senses to find him. At first, she directed her attention to the ground, assuming that he planned on using the Moguragakure no Jutsu to blindside her from below. The smallest flicker of chakra from behind caused her to turn around and look at the copy-nin, who was knelt on the ground with his hands held up in the tiger seal—

Her eyes widened.

'Oh _shit_.'

With less than a split second to spare, she Shunshin'd expertly to a tree that was far, FAR away from the copy-nin. Original plan be _damned_, her teammates would survive a few Genjutsu and Ninjutsu tricks from the man. She would gladly take a kunai, a Katon, even a damn _Bijuudama_ for her friends. But the _Sennen Goroshi_?

_Fuck no_.

Within her mind scape, Kurama struggled to withhold his gut-wrenching laughter.

* * *

Not fifteen minutes later, Kakashi returned to his place in the middle of the training grounds. Naruto, taking that as a sign that he had finished "dealing" with her teammates, sat up from her rather comfortable perch in the trees and dashed off in the direction where Sakura's chakra signature slowly pulsed.

When she arrived in the small clearing, she saw the pinkette leaning up against a tree, her eyes blank and devoid of emotion. Her chakra network was going haywire, most likely due to whatever Genjutsu Kakashi had shown her, coupled with the emotional stress.

With a click of her tongue, Naruto grabbed the young kunoichi by the shoulders and shook. It was probably a Genjutsu of a rank no higher than C, and she didn't particularly care to give Sakura a free ride out of it by releasing it herself. In the more dire situations, sure, but when there was no threat to anyone's life? She couldn't just play the doting mother hen on her team all the time if she wanted them to grow.

"Sakura."

No response. Naruto shook the pinkette harder. "_Sakura_."

The unconscious kunoichi mumbled somewhat. Naruto slapped the girl across the face, not hard but not particularly gently, either. Sakura immediately sat up, her chest heaving in shallow breaths as her eyes darted around the small clearing. "Where—Sasuke-kun, what happened—Naru—"

"Sakura!" The blonde hissed, trying to calm the girl from her hysterics. After a few moments of silence, the pinkette turned to Naruto with wide, terrified eyes.

"… Naruto? Naruto, what happened…?" She gasped. "Sasuke-kun! I-I saw, Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun is—!"

"Sakura, Sasuke is fine!" Naruto barked before Sakura could go into another fit. "We need to go over to him, I have a plan, and I need both of you to cooperate."

Before Sakura could respond, ask another question, or even stand on her own, the two Shunshin'd in the direction of Sasuke's chakra signature.

* * *

He wasn't far. In fact, he was in the next clearing. Naruto had to repress the bubbling laughter that threatened to escape when she saw his rather helpless state, buried from the neck down. Sadly, neither of her two teammates shared in the hilarity, as Sakura looked on with panicked horror and Sasuke shot daggers at the blonde, most likely aware of her internal struggle.

She decided to sit next to Sasuke's head and motioned for Sakura to sit next to her. "I have a plan, and we need to cooperate," she stated plainly, ignoring the brief look of incredulity the Uchiha shot her. Hey, if she released him from his dirt prison, he would probably run off. What else could she do?

Sasuke's pointed glare grew with more malice. "Why should I cooperate with _you_?"

"Pfft," Naruto didn't withhold her laughter anymore and spoke through chuckles, further stoking the Uchiha's ire. "Maybe because you're trapped and need help? Maybe because we're teammates?"

The raven-haired boy turned his head away. "Hmph. I don't need help, I'll get myself out of this… Eventually. And then I'll get that damn—"

"Maybe because we're _supposed_ to work _together_ if any of us want any hope of passing," Naruto stated lowly and without humor, effectively cutting the Uchiha's little tirade short. Her two teammates turned to her, with questioning looks in place.

"… Naruto? What do you mean?" It was Sakura who asked.

Naruto sighed, feigning exasperation. Okay, she wasn't really feigning it, but she already knew that they wouldn't know. She was a little put-off by the fact that none of them had realized it the first time around, had never really sat down to think about the implications, but that was a headache for another day. "First of all, let's go over the issue with the _two_ bells. Why do you think there are only two bells?"

"Well, obviously one of you is going to fail."

Naruto remained diffident at the Uchiha's underlying statement of, "I'm not going to fail, I'm an Uchiha," that lingered within the words. She turned to Sakura, a hopeful look on her face. "Sakura?"

The addressed girl flinched, looking between her two teammates. "Uh… What?"

"Why do you think there are only two bells?" Naruto reiterated patiently.

Sakura played with the hem of her dress and bit her lip. "… Um… I…" Her shoulders sagged in defeat, and her voice fell below a whisper. "… I don't know."

Naruto simply pat the young kunoichi on the back with a grin on her face. "Aw well, you tried." Her face fell serious again as she turned her attention between her two teammates. "Next question: why do you think that the failure rate is a precise 66%? Two-thirds?"

"Dobe, get to the point already," Sasuke growled. Naruto couldn't find it in her to take it seriously, what with the Uchiha being a head shorter. Or, well, a head _only_. This time, Sakura seemed to share her amusement, and she smiled at Sakura's slight trembling as the pinkette tried to stop herself from laughing at her crush.

"There were 27 people that graduated from our year this time," Naruto began. "Twenty-seven. All in teams of three, meaning nine teams. The failure rate is 66%, meaning that only three teams will pass."

Sakura cocked her head to the side. "Yeah, Kakashi-sensei already told us that…"

Naruto shook her head and looked at each of her teammates. "Think. Three teams. That 66% rate was alluded to be the _teams_, but if it's in terms of the _people_, what does that mean?"

At the blank faces she received, she sighed. "Have you ever heard of three-person Genin teams? There are always four, one Jounin and three Genin."

Her teammates' eyes widened in realization, and Naruto repressed the urge to smile. "… There has _never_ been a Genin team with only two Genin," Sakura began, mumbling under her breath. She looked away, her chin cradled in her right hand as she thought aloud. "Even at Chuunin level, most teams stay the same and only break up half of the time or for specialized missions. So what gives?" Naruto allowed the smile to show on her face. A certain sense of nostalgia arose at seeing the gears turn in the pinkette's brain, reminding her of the Sakura who was able to fell hundreds of Zetsu, the Sakura that was the proud apprentice of Tsunade.

"That doesn't explain the two bells. There's something else, but what?"

Naruto and Sakura turned to their third teammate, surprised that he was contributing. Naruto's surprise wavered and morphed into another wide grin. "We've already gone over the fact that Genin squads always consist of three Genin. The question is, 'if the Genin teams this year will each have three Genin, why only two bells?' Now, let's think back to what else Kakashi said, what other clues he hinted." Both teammates turned to Naruto. "Neither of you ate breakfast, did you?"

At this, the pinkette and raven-haired boy grumbled. "He said not to eat."

Naruto smirked and shook her head. "He _suggested_ it. He didn't explicitly order us to not eat, and he didn't provide any factual evidence that it truly would be prudent to forego breakfast. He was leading us on, allowing us to make our own decisions."

Sakura's head snapped to Naruto and pointed her finger accusingly. "You ate breakfast! Your stomach didn't growl, earlier!"

Naruto's smirk grew wider as she leaned back, the assessing gazes of her two teammates boring a hole through her forehead. "Yeah, I did."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sasuke growled, still struggling to get himself out of his earthen trap.

"Why do you think?" Naruto deadpanned. "Would either of you have actually listened to me? Besides, it's not like I was _certain_," she lied, "and it would only serve to help me further convince you two. Tell me, would you two have cooperated had I not let you witness Kakashi-sensei's tactic firsthand? My reasoning for that is the same reason as why I didn't come to help you guys immediately with this, by the way. In case either of you were wondering."

A small silence settled as the two digested what the blonde said. Naruto finally coughed. "Anyway. Neither of you ate breakfast, because Kakashi-sensei suggested it. Now, think about the bells. He _alluded _to the idea that one of us will be sent back to the Academy, but did he explicitly say that?" She watched as they turned the idea over in their heads. "He said that it is highly likely that us three, _all_ of us, would be sent back to the Academy. Not just one, but all. If we were to fail, we would _fail as a team_. Whatever is the case, whatever judgement we end up with, it'll be as a_ team_. So, why only_ two_ bells, when we could only pass as a team?" She grinned as realization once again dawned on her two teammates. "Get it?"

"… The bells." Sakura started, slowly looking up with her eyes wide. "They're diversions, to make us forget about teamwork."

Sasuke nodded slowly. "It's to give us a sense of urgency and competition, to make us go against each other instead of him." He frowned a bit. "The test isn't about whether or not we can actually get the bells, it's about how we do as a team."

The blonde held in the instinctive, "good job, you did well" coupled with a pat on the head, because something told her it would not be well-received. Instead, she settled for beaming at her two teammates, happy that the concept of "teamwork" wasn't as far off as she had originally assumed.

"Naruto? You said you had a plan, right?" Sakura looked expectantly at Naruto, as did Sasuke. Naruto inwardly gave a sigh of relief, knowing that she had managed to gain their trust.

In a quick and casual movement, she pulled Sasuke out of the ground and gave both of her teammates the biggest shit-eating grin. "Alright, so here's the plan…"

* * *

As Kakashi stood in the clearing, he released a drawn out sigh.

He had somewhat high hopes for the team. _Had_. From what he heard, Uchiha Sasuke was proficient, bordering prodigious levels, in Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Initiative, and Intelligence. However, the boy was an avenger, and Kakashi doubted that he could conform to a team without a serious attitude adjustment. Haruno Sakura was the top Kunoichi, so he had had relatively high hopes for the girl as well, only to be completely disappointed at her glaring weakness—her fangirlism.

Despite this, however, the one who had shown the most potential was Uzumaki Naruto: the one labeled as the dead last of his year. Kakashi had heard of the boy's exploits and love for pranking; he was well-known for his boisterous personality, lack of attentiveness, stubbornness, competitive demeanor, and over all foolish behaviour. From what the copy-nin had _heard_, Naruto had a long-standing rivalry(that was apparently one-sided) with the Uchiha, and had a lingering crush on the Haruno girl(also one-sided). However, the boy had sufficiently shocked Kakashi by not only showing zero inclination to pamper Sakura and challenge Sasuke to a competition, but his intuitiveness and strength.

He was not, by any means, the weak dead-last that Kakashi had been told of. The boy's Taijutsu was sorely lacking, but oddly befitting his sporadic fighting style. Used by anyone else, it would have too many holes and openings. Used by Naruto, however, and it left openings that enemies would think they could take advantage of… Only to find that it's a well-crafted trap, possibly leading to a broken limb or worse.

Kakashi winced as he rubbed his stomach, which was still rather sore from the punch the blonde had delivered him. He made the foolish error of pulling his "aloof" facade in front of the boy, and paid dearly for it. It must've been a trait that those of Uzumaki and Namikaze descent inherited, because the encounter made him think back to his rather sore defeat by Namikaze Fuuko… He still needed a rematch.

He shook his head as he refocused his thoughts. Naruto not only showed great skill in one-on-one combat, but also displayed that he knew to some degree the importance of teamwork against a stronger opponent. It had been a smart move on the boy's part, to wait around near Kakashi in the hopes that his teammates would come to _him_. Of course, on actual missions, one could only wish that their target would remain sedentary, so he had decided to give the blonde a taste of reality. He was a little disappointed when Naruto Shunshin'd away—he still needed to figure out how a Genin learned that—before Kakashi could deliver the Sennin Goroshi. Perhaps it had been a strategic retreat, however. Both Sasuke and Sakura, with their titles as the "top" of their graduating class, had no inclination to actually work on a team with the blonde who was labeled the dead last. Maybe he knew that his teammates needed an abrupt wake-up call before they would listen to him.

Uzumaki Naruto was frighteningly like his father, the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato. Strength, ability, prowess; heck, the kid even _looked_ like the Yondaime. Naruto had _appeared _to be more brash and headstrong like Kushina, but the underlying intelligence and cunning wit that rested behind those azure eyes spoke differently. If Kakashi hadn't known for a fact that his sensei was dead, with his soul in the belly of the Shinigami, he might've thought that Naruto was the man's reincarnation.

The silver-haired Jounin shook his head and withdrew the familiar book from his pocket as he sensed three approaching chakra signatures. He grinned slightly; it appeared that Naruto had managed to coerce his teammates into working together after all.

His thoughts were abruptly halted as a ball of fire was hurled in his direction from the forest. It might've singed the man if it had been faster. A lot faster. Before he could sigh in disappointment, he watched as his pink-haired kunoichi ran at him while weaving through signs. Two clones appeared on either side of her, and leapt at him. He sighed. Clones were not solid, and could only be used as a distraction. It usually helped when the user didn't oh-so-_helpfully_ use the technique in front of their opponent, making it rather obvious which one was the real user.

With a swift, sweeping kick, he kicked the pinkette in the side—all three of them—and sent them flying across the clearing. His eyes widened as they all dispersed. He had definitely felt his leg impact the one in the middle, so that was a Kage Bunsh—

Two swift kicks were delivered to him, one from the Uchiha that aimed at his head, and the other from the blonde that aimed at his back. Kakashi made a decision at the last moment and quickly blocked the Uchiha, and as a result he was unable to stop the kick that Naruto had sent to his back.

Big mistake.

Kakashi was sent flying across the clearing and barely managed to recover himself before getting a facefull of dirt. Before he could check the state of his _old_, _sore_ back, a sharp whistling sound alerted him of an attack from behind. He quickly ducked his head to avoid the on-coming kunai, only to hear a victorious, "Shannaro!"

When he looked up, he barely had a moment to think, 'ah, the Sakura from before was a henge,' before he was nearly incinerated by the two explosion tags that were fastened to the kunai in front of him.

At the opposite edge of the clearing, Kakashi Shunshin'd and collapsed, only to watch with silent awe and horror at the sheer damage the two explosion tags had created. The explosion was larger, much larger than that of any standard issue explosion tag. Inwardly, he made a mental note to track down and kill whoever it was that was selling such dangerous weapons to _children_.

During his musing, the newly-minted Genin of Team seven appeared before him, looking at him expectantly.

"Do we pass, Kakashi-sensei?" It was Sakura who asked, a proud grin on her face. Kakashi didn't miss the amused, but proud nonetheless snort the Uchiha made, and the relaxed posture Naruto had taken to.

Quickly, Kakashi reached for his belt loop and sighed when he realized that the bells were still there. He stood up, slowly—his back and stomach were in _absolute pain_, and he silently wondered how Naruto was so damn strong—while lifting the two bells that were held in his grasp. He eye-smiled at the widened eyes of the raven-haired Uchiha and pinkette.

"Great teamwork, but I think you forgot the bells," he commented lightly.

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly, before he relaxed again. Kakashi's brow furrowed at the movement, but before he could comment on it, Sakura interjected. "B-but sensei! I thought the test wasn't about the bells!"

Kakashi's gaze shifted over to the blonde, who stared back impassively. The copy-nin returned his gaze to the pinkette and cocked his head innocently. "Oh? And what made you think that?"

He felt slight amusement at the annoyed glances the two Genin shot at Naruto, but was somewhat disappointed at the lack of reaction from said blonde. He only frowned slightly and gave an assessing look to the copy-nin.

"… The test was about teamwork," Naruto started. "We had already proven that we can work together. Right? And now you're just trying to egg us on further."

The boy was right, but Kakashi wasn't just going to give it to them like that. "Hmm… Maybe. Yes, it was _mostly_ about teamwork, but you still had to get the bells." The silver-haired Jounin raised an eyebrow at the decidedly malicious smirk that crossed Naruto's face.

The boy lifted his right hand slowly, and cocked his head to the side. "Oh, you mean…" His palm opened, revealing the two bells. "_These_ bells?"

Kakashi's attention immediately shot to his left hand where he held the bells—well, where he _used_ to hold the bells—and then quickly turned back to his team, eyes narrowed. Sasuke and Sakura looked just as surprised as he felt. "How?"

Naruto shrugged. "Doesn't matter. The point is that we worked together as a team, and quite frankly, I think the three of us?" He gestured to his two teammates. "We were fucking _badass_."

At that moment, the annoying ring of the alarm clock Kakashi had set went off, and the Jounin sighed. It was something about Namikaze and Uzumaki relatives. He just couldn't win against them, and against a mix of them? His pride as one of the most powerful Jounin in Konoha was seriously on the line now. "Fine fine, you three pass. Congrats, you're officially a Genin team," he stated a little petulantly, a little ticked that he had been so easily bested yet again.

* * *

Naruto cheered. She was a Genin again, it was official! Team Seven, AKA Team Kakashi, was back in business!

She smirked at the slight eye-twitch that Kakashi seemed to develop. The bell test had been multitudes more fun this time around, she had to admit. Mostly because she actually knew what to expect this time around, and was _more_ than prepared.

Honestly, she was surprised that Kakashi hadn't noticed the little "trick" she pulled on the bells before she sent him flying with a hit to the gut. It had been a technique she had only used a few times since she arrived in the past, and it left her relatively drained, but it worked just as well. The technique she had used was a mixture of implanting her own personalized Hiraishin seal on the bells, and then summoning them to her position. Hiraishin: Kuchiyose or Hiraishin: Ura; both titles applied to the technique. As the name implied, it was a reverse of the Hiraishin and _summoned_ the marked object to the_ user_. It had been a bit of an annoying technique to create, as she needed the help of her summons to figure it out. Yes, Hiraishin was a technique based on Kuchiyose no Jutsu which in theory would mean that breaking it down to it's origins would've been easier. It wasn't, and she didn't feel like going over the details.

Point was, it worked. She managed to get her teammates to work together. She sufficiently fulfilled her, "piss Kakashi-sensei off" quota for the day. And she was happy!

Her mental victory dance was abruptly stopped when a downright manic look flitted across Kakashi's only visible eye, and Naruto braced herself for the impending doom she sensed. Her teammates didn't seem to pick up on it.

"Maa, we'll meet up tomorrow for your first mission as a team. 6am, Hokage's office, don't be late!" With that simple exclamation, the copy-nin disappeared in a poof of smoke, leaving two confused Genin and one worried time-traveler.

Naruto's brow furrowed as a feeling of dread settled in her stomach. Hesitantly, she turned to her teammates. "… Hey, Sakura, Sasuke—"

"I'll come with you, Sasuke-kun!" The blonde winced at the high-pitched declaration of the pinkette, who followed after the retreating back of the Uchiha survivor. Only a single, hesitant glance was thrown Naruto's way before the pinkette resumed her fawning.

With a bit of disappointment and a minor sense of abandonment, Naruto shrugged. "Well, at least there was an improvement. Baby steps, baby steps…"

Kurama sent her a sympathetic nod, and Naruto, who was fairly certain the fox was being sarcastic, _mentally_ sent a chakra-laced kick in his direction.

* * *

Her gut feeling was right.

Team Seven had been given one of the most annoying, and possibly the most _dangerous_ D-Rank mission. It was the only mission that left Genin with tattered clothes, lacerations and injuries to care for, and _extremely_ wounded pride.

Naruto was seriously considering murdering the damn cat.

Tora, the little fucker, had evaded Team Seven while they were trying to capture it. A draining(and painful) four hours were spent trying to find, capture and subdue the freak. Somehow, whenever one of the Genin of Team Seven managed to catch it, Tora would pull some Taijutsu-like move that would not only leave their arms with multiple scratches, but leave them disoriented enough for the cat to disappear without a trace. Naruto would swear the shitty cat could use Shunshin.

However, at the end of the mission, the sight of the hellcat being strangled to death by Madam Shijimi made her grin in complete satisfaction. 'Serves the hellspawn right,' she thought with ample resentment. She had more scars from that cat than any of the S-Ranked missing-nin she had ever encountered. In her book, that cat was an S-Ranked threat, right up there with Madara and Kaguya.

A quick glance to her team told her that they felt similarly, as Sasuke's _oh-so-perfect_ face—as dictated by Sakura and Ino—had been scratched a few times by the cat's claws, and Sakura had enough scratches on her arms that she'd probably opt to go long-sleeve for the time being. The Uchiha's glower was minutely more severe than usual, and Sakura's look of utter loathing made Naruto think that the girl's wish of being an Uchiha wasn't as impossible as previously thought.

After Team Seven was debriefed and rewarded for their mission, Naruto shoved the potential schemes her mind had crafted for a swift and timely end to the cat to make room for a debatably more pressing matter. As they walked out of the Hokage's office, Naruto's focus was centered on Haruno Sakura, who was technically the weakest link on their team in terms of actual use in on the field.

The meager efforts Naruto had attempted to get the soon-to-be-medic on the road to improvement held little results, as the pinkette still held fast to her fangirl tendencies and lack of proper motivation. The blonde had hoped that, with only slight intervention, Sakura would start showing improvement sooner than later. Yes, that plan had worked, but only in the very slightest. The first time around it had taken a series of rather life-changing events—witnessing the near-death of teammates a few times, encountering a couple missing nin(one of which is a former Konoha Sannin) and being pitted against many other Genin in the Chuunin Exams—all of which had yet to happen, and if Naruto truly wanted a real change to take place in the pinkette's ability, she had take matters into her own hands.

When the team exited the building, Kakashi immediately Shunshin'd away without so much as a goodbye(most likely in search of some branch to camp out on while reading or to go to the memorial stone) and Sasuke departed. Before Sakura could follow after the Uchiha like a lost puppy, Naruto secured a hand on the collar of Sakura's dress, promptly halting the action.

"Sakura," Naruto started when the known Kunoichi of their team fixed a questioning gaze on the blonde, "there's someplace I wanna take you to for a bit. We need to talk."

Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly, but not in a threatening manner. "… You're not asking me for a date, are you?"

To the pinkette's irritation(and confusion), Naruto only scoffed as she turned around. "Just follow."

When the two reached a clearing situated in Training Ground 10(complete with surrounding trees and a conveniently placed pond), Naruto finally turned to the bewildered Sakura. "Hey Sakura, I have a question."

The girl jolted slightly at the sudden break from silence and glanced warily at Naruto. "… What?"

Naruto repressed the urge to roll her eyes at the defensive look. Weren't they supposed to be friends, now? If Sakura was scared of her now, the blonde might end up being a veritable demon lord by the end of the conversation. If it meant that the pinkette was more prepared and less liable to die, though… It was worth it. "Have you considered my words at all?"

Sakura's nose pinched slightly. "What?"

"That day that Ino's father dragged all of us out to that little teahouse or whatever." She said this while waving a hand in the air, emphasizing that the exact place was irrelevant. As she finished the statement, her eyes shifted to the side to gauge Sakura's expression. "If you recall, I said that a useless 'puppy love' isn't a worthy goal to have for becoming a Kunoichi. Have you made any effort whatsoever to correct that?"

The pinkette took on an indignant pout and glowered at Naruto, who only sighed. Sometimes her teammates showed surprising maturity(such as the other day), while other times reminded her of their true age. "Of course I have! I've been training extra hard and I'm more serious about becoming a Kunoichi."

"I have a feeling my words either went over your head or you're trying to ignore them," Naruto said lowly, causing Sakura to flinch. "I can't really judge how much your abilities have improved since I never really had a base to go off of in that regard, but what I _can_ see is that you are as blatant and obvious with your fangirling as ever."

Before Sakura could retort, Naruto continued. "Tsunade, the Slug Princess of the Sannin. Well-known as being one of the best medic-nin in the country, while also having the ability to hold her own as a front-line fighter. Well-rounded in both Iryo-ninjutsu and Taijutsu with sufficient knowledge in Fuuinjutsu, she was not only a woman that could heal and look after her injured comrades but could also go toe-to-toe with her two teammates." The blonde turned to the pinkette. "You, Sakura, have the potential to become just as great as Tsunade, should you so choose." 'The potential to be _even better_,' Naruto added silently.

Sakura gaped. "… _What_?"

Naruto snorted. "You know, you've said that three times in the last three minutes. But anyway," she leveled a stern gaze on Sakura, leaving no room for uncertainty. "Like I said, you have potential. That is mostly because of the heightened chakra control you no doubt possess. I'm gonna help you improve your chakra control even more so that you can travel down a path similar to Tsunade's. Sound good?"

The pinkette bit her lip and rubbed her arm in thought. "… Why should I go into Iryo-Ninjutsu, though?"

"Like I said, you have heightened chakra control—which is a result of your innately low chakra reserves, intelligence and focus, by the way—which happens to be the the most important factor in Iryo-ninjutsu. Your stamina sucks, and it would be best for you to focus on your asset anyway…" Sakura glowered, but Naruto only returned the look with a smirk. "Besides, with teammates like Sasuke and I, we'll need as much help as we can get. Wouldn't you agree?"

This actually seemed to make her truly consider the prospect of Iryo-ninjutsu. Naruto didn't want to read into it too much; without even meaning to, she had added Sasuke to the bunch, and the thought of only further motivating the girl to chase after the boy was not something the blonde wanted to consider.

She shook her head to rid herself of her musings. "First, I want you to try tree-climbing. There are more basic chakra-control exercises, but I doubt that we need to take the gradual route with you."

Sakura tilted her head to the side. "Tree-climbing…? How will that help?"

"Not normal tree climbing, mind you," Naruto stated simply with a smirk. She walked over to the nearest tree and placed a foot on the trunk before nonchalantly walking up the bark as though gravity had temporarily rescinded it's command on Naruto. She smiled down at Sakura when she reached the second-highest branch. "You'll be climbing it with your feet and chakra alone."

When Sakura looked like she was about to protest, Naruto raised a single eyebrow. "It's not like you haven't seen this before, Sakura. I'm sure you've probably read about in a textbook somewhere; just apply what you know about chakra and it's application."

After the blonde's words, Sakura turned to a different tree and stared at the trunk, a determined look firmly in place. She settled her right foot on the base of the tree, next to one of the thicker roots, and slowly started the process of finding an appropriate chakra output to make her feet adhere.

Suddenly, her face pinched in a manner that was decidedly not from concentration, and she turned to Naruto with a confused look. "Hey, Naruto… Why don't you call me 'Sakura-chan' anymore?"

Naruto sat down on her branch and rested her chin on her hand, looking lazily down at the pinkette. "Hm, I wonder. Why do _you_ think, Sakura?"

Sakura scratched her arm before giving an uncertain shrug. "Uh… You got over your crush on me?"

When Naruto snickered, the pinkette shot her an affronted look. "Sakura, I _never_ had a crush on you, but that's besides the point. The reason why…?" The blonde kicked her dangling legs back and forth slightly. "Well, to me, 'Sakura-chan' is someone powerful. Someone undaunted, even by the some of the strongest of foes."

'**Kit,'** Kurama warned quietly.

"… Someone apprenticed by one of the strongest and most capable Kunoichi in history, someone who surpassed said Kunoichi and became a legend of her own." Naruto turned to a stunned Sakura, ignoring Kurama's grumbles about secrecy(or a lack thereof). "When the day comes that you've reached that point, I will probably call you 'Sakura-chan' again."

"Wha…" Sakura's jaw opened and closed a few times before she finally found her voice. "I don't… I don't get it, but don't you think that's a little… Impossible? I mean, I'm a civilian, and I'm barely—" Naruto interrupted her.

"No, Sakura, I don't think it's a _little_ impossible. I think it's _absolutely_ impossible." Sakura's glare told her that she wasn't in the mood for sarcastic quips, so Naruto continued. "… With your current attitude. You have so much latent potential, Sakura. So _use _it. Stop caring about what other people think, just take the opinions that actually matter, and _thrive_."

Naruto lifted her gaze to meet Sakura's and smirked. They were at eye-level. "After all, if you can do this while half-distracted, I think it's pretty damn obvious that you'll do well."

As if only _just_ realizing that she had managed to climb the tree—which was probably very true—Sakura looked between the ground from her new position on the first branch of the tree and the blonde who simply smiled knowingly.

"You just gotta keep working on this stuff. Next up will be water-walking, and the concept is rather similar." Naruto leapt down from her perch and stretched before turning to look up at the still-gaping pinkette. "Your control is remarkable for a Genin, but you'll need to sharpen that skill before you attempt Iryo-ninjutsu. It deals with the fine tendons and workings of the human body, after all, and you don't want to end up severing something important while trying to heal someone."

Sakura leapt down from her own branch to bring herself eye-level to the blonde. "… Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?" She questioned, an obvious look of concentration in place.

Naruto merely shrugged. "Well, we're teammates, and teammates help each other out. So do friends," she held her hands behind her back. "And from what I recall, we're friends now, right?"

The pinkette didn't respond, and Naruto placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "We're teammates, Sakura, and we look out for each other. I'll continue helping you with this so long as you'll have me, because believe it or not, I care about you. I care about Sasuke, and I care about Kakashi-sensei, too. I will do anything to make sure that you guys are prepared for what's to come."

Without another word, Naruto Shunshin'd away, leaving Sakura to her lonesome in the clearing. The pinkette gave a slow nod as a determined glint formed in her emerald eyes.

"… Yeah."

* * *

Naruto casually walked over to the lone figure and raised a single hand in a two finger wave, more for the sake of the gesture than an actual acknowledgement. "Yo, Sasuke."

Her eyes wandered up from his still form as she took in the sights. It was a nice place to sit and think, she realized. The view was amazing, from sunset(with the golden rays of sunlight spreading through the sky with it's blue, magenta, and crimson tones) to evening(where the stars are the only true sources of light, as there were few houses in the area and no streetlights in a solid 25 meter radius). Too bad the pier's number-one visitor was a broody Uchiha that had unofficially claimed the area to fester in his hatred instead of actually enjoy the sight.

The boy didn't give a verbal reply. He merely turned his head to glance at the new arrival before snorting and turning back around to lose himself in his thoughts. With a sigh, Naruto unceremoniously shoved the boy to the side to make room for herself, the action not only causing a sense of deja vu but also earning her a glower from the boy.

"What do you think you're doing, dobe?" The question was laced with clear irritation and growing anger.

Naruto shrugged. "Do I need a reason for coming here to hang out with my teammate?"

"Yes," Sasuke deadpanned. "I want to be left alone."

"_Okay_, let me correct my statement," Naruto drawled sarcastically. "Do I need a reason for coming here to sit and watch the lake? This _is_ a public area, y'know. It's not _yours_."

When Sasuke glowered at her, only to turn back around to face the sunset, the blonde seriously wondered why he didn't just leave. Maybe Shikamaru was(somehow) rubbing off on the boy, making him think that it was too _troublesome_ to find someplace else to sit and brood. 'Oh well,' she thought quietly. 'Better for me.'

They stayed like that for a few minutes, until a certain thought occurred to her. The two of them, the rookie and the dead last, both (supposedly)male, the most well-known duo in the Academy for getting into scuffles based on some of the most trivial of disagreements, sitting on the pier in a rather _romantic_ setting. Needless to say, she burst out into relentless laughter. She could imagine the jealous and faintly confused looked that Sakura, Ino, and the majority of the female population in their graduating class would shoot her. Would've been _even worse_ had they had that accidental lip-bump that occurred the first time around.

Apparently, her sudden shift of moods was not taken well by the Uchiha.

"… Shut _up_," he growled as he turned a glare on the blonde. "What are you even laughing about?"

Naruto gripped her aching stomach with her right and wiped a few tears away with her left, still trying to calm the amused chuckles that seemed to grip her. "It's nothing, nothing at all," another chuckle, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Seriously, it's nothing."

He stared at her for a few moments before his eye twitched, and with a quiet snort, he resumed his broody trip down memory lane.

'… Sasuke,' Naruto thought quietly, looking down at her dangling legs. 'What can I do to keep you from going down the same path you went down before? I want to believe that, ultimately, what you needed was a friend. But I fulfilled that role before, didn't I? And yet you still rejected everyone, all for the sake of revenge.'

In truth, she had come to the pier for a reason. She wanted to try and solidify their friendship sooner, as she had done with Sakura. Her hypothesis on why things went so wrong previously was because they weren't ready; strength wise, they were far outmatched. Team-dynamic wise, they were shaky at best. As such, their bonds to each other had been rather weak, and had only increased after Sasuke had left. Well, Sakura started to appreciate Naruto more, Kakashi paid more attention to his _other_ two students, and Naruto realized how much she wanted her best friend back. The blonde highly doubted that Sasuke thought about his old team for so much as a minute during his stay with Orochimaru.

Despite the memories she received from the Rikudou Sennin, despite her many years of experience, and despite her true power, she was still uncertain about what made Sasuke tick. Mostly because the bastard never actually opened up and _told_ her. She hypothesized and guessed as much as she wanted, but ultimately, she was never able to confirm a single one.

Naruto coughed, decision made. "Hey, Sasuke. I have a question."

He didn't reply, but the blonde decided to continue anyway.

"Tell me about your dream… Your ambition."

A quiet snort from her left was the only indication that he was listening. "… That wasn't a question, dobe."

Naruto blinked, and then sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "Ah… I guess not. Well, tell me anyway?"

"No." His answer was immediate.

The blonde turned to look at her teammate and held her palms together in a pleading gesture. "Aw, c'mon, please Sasuke?"

"No," Sasuke stated in a firmer tone. His eye twitched. "Just shut up already."

Naruto sighed and turned to face the lake again. Normally, she would've continued pressing the matter until the other party either relented or started a fist-fight, resulting in more than a couple bruises and scrapes. That might've been why Sasuke decided to speak up again, to her surprise.

"… What about you," Sasuke began, "the people you want to kill."

Naruto whipped her head around to stare wide-eyed at her teammate. After a moment, she smirked and turned back to her front, shaking her head. "Pfft, that wasn't a question either."

"Hn."

"Not even _word_ that time, teme."

"Just answer,_ dobe_."

Naruto's smirk grew wider and she closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze. 'How long,' she thought quietly. 'How long has it been since we've actually sat down and talked like this?' Sure, it wasn't an honest conversation in all honesty; everyone knew that Uchiha Sasuke was, by no means, a social butterfly. Still, the brief interaction they were sharing brought back fond memories, and a wave of happiness washed over Naruto as she realized: her best friend was back.

"… Like you, I'm not strong enough to defeat them yet. The people I'm after, that is," Naruto stated quietly. She wasn't even close. Madara, Kaguya, Zetsu, and to a lesser extent, Orochimaru and Kabuto—the ones that had taken away her best friend in the first place. Well, she could probably take on Orochimaru, and killing Kabuto at this point would be no challenge. Still, she had a ways to go before she could match the level of Kaguya who was, in essence, a _god_.

Her mind wandered back to the boy beside her. Orochimaru had been the one to coerce him to run away from Konoha in search of a greater power. A small sense of hatred bubbled forth, only to quickly be repressed by her conviction. She couldn't let her emotions get to her in regards to the snake. If she focused on small fry like him, she'd lose sight of the bigger picture. Revenge wasn't her goal, no, not at all. Her goal was…

"… However, _unlike_ you, my will to become stronger isn't only focused around killing them." She sensed Sasuke's gaze fall on her, and she could see confusion on his face through her peripheral. "There are still more important things I need to do, and to lose myself to hatred…" She turned to meet his gaze. "… To lose myself to the allure of revenge and endless hatred would be to lose that which is truly important."

Something unidentifiable flickered in the Uchiha's onyx eyes, but Naruto stood up—for fear of rejection or immediate refusal, she honestly didn't know—and casually stretched before she could read into the expression, effectively purging the tense air around them.

"Well, I gotta go, Sasuke. I hope that, one day, you'll tell me a bit more about your own dream, too."

She walked off with her hands situated casually in her pockets, feeling happy over all. It might still be one-sided, but she certainly felt like she had her team back. Her friends.

Her family.


	10. Didn't Happen Last Time

**Rating****: T**

**A/N****: I've put up a poll; please go vote. It's about how important the inclusion of certain Jinchuuriki are to you guys, so the results will reflect how much(if at all) time some of them will get. B, Yugito, Gaara and Naruto(obviously) are unaffected by this poll since I already have plans for them.**

**In regards to the story's progress, I've got most of the pre-shippuden part mapped out(most of Wave, bits of the Chuunin Exams), it's just a matter of writing it in a coherent manner. Word count is ~9.5k.**

**Disclaimer****: Nope.**

* * *

**Didn't Happen Last Time**

Naruto, Chihenge'd as Fuuko, sat on a branch a ways away from the three figures in front of her.

For the past week or so, she had taken to leaving a Chikage Bunshin with her team while she went on missions, trained, or simply observed her team. At first, Fuuko had been reluctant to the idea. She was completely open to the idea of utilizing(almost abusing) Kage Bunshin for _training_, but using it for getting closer to her team seemed irrevocably wrong, even though her own personality shone through and the memories were transferred after dispelling. It wasn't until Kurama gave her a rather subduing earful that she had decided it was for the best.

'**You came to the past to protect them, not to play dollhouse with the pink-whore and to play therapist for the Uchiha-asshole. Stop engaging in idle chatter with the less-than-impressive fledglings and focus on the more **_**important**_** matters.' **His exact words, word-for-word. She would've chastised the fox for insulting her friends, but at the time, he had sounded far too irritated for her to bother.

"More important matters" consisted of taking A and B-Rank missions that took her outside of Konoha, allowing her to not only try locating Orochimaru's hideouts and check on old war-buddies but try to find Madara's base of operations. The search had bore no fruit thus far, sadly, but at least B seemed to be in good health. A small smile crept onto her face at the thought of the Hachibi Jinchuuriki. She couldn't wait for the time that she'd be able to meet him again, and she could honestly say that she not only missed his blithe attitude and occasional words of wisdom, but his passionate rhyming as well. Heck, over the years she had created her own rhymes too, if only to try and make up for her dreadful first attempt.

"Fuuko! Hey!" She looked in the direction she heard the voice, and felt a small sense of dread settle in her stomach. Her clone. Her clone was calling over to her.

With a sigh, she leapt out of the trees and Shunshin'd to Team Seven, faintly startling the other two Genin. She eyed the "younger" blonde distastefully. "Hey, kid. What did you need?"

Her clone shrugged. "Nothing, really. Kakashi-sensei isn't here yet, and I sensed you nearby, so I figured, 'why not?'" Translation: _I was bored, so I decided to bother you, boss. _Fuuko's eye twitched.

"Er, Namikaze-san?" An uncharacteristically shy voice called out to her from behind, and Fuuko turned, cocking her head in a questioning manner. "Hello, I don't know if you remember me, but my name is Haruno Sakura and I was there during the Jounin visitation, and…" Sakura shifted on her feet as she rambled. "I, uh… I just wanted to apologize for before."

Fuuko placed a hand on the pinkette's head and ruffled her hair slightly, earning a squeak in protest. "It's alright, Haruno, that's old news. Don't worry about it." The blonde was amused at the display. Honestly, the girl was both endearing and worryingly weak at the same time. It was another reminder that, at this age, Sakura was not as strong and confident with her ability and place on the team, and Fuuko hoped to change that. "But anyway, since my relative seems to be a little bored, why don't I help you guys out with some training? I've got time," she stated simply.

"Who are you?" Sasuke eyed the new arrival suspiciously, apparently unconvinced by the idea that she could actually help.

Fuuko held a hand to her chest and feigned injury. "I'm hurt, Uchiha. Have you already forgotten about me?" His eyes only narrowed and the blonde shook her head, turning to the entirety of the team. "Well, anyway, I'll refresh your memory. My name is Namikaze Fuuko, and my ANBU alias was Ryuu." She placed a hand on the head of her mutinous clone, ruffling the spiky blond locks in a supposedly affectionate manner. "Hopefully you've been taking care of this guy here, he can be a bit of a _disrespectful little ass_ sometimes." The clone only snorted and looked away, leaving Fuuko to wonder what it meant when one's own clones were being rebellious.

Sasuke stared at her for a few moments before turning away and shoving his hands into his pockets. "I don't need help from _you_."

"Oh?" Fuuko questioned, faintly amused. "And how exactly am I supposed to take that, Uchiha?"

He glanced back at her, a condescending look in place. "You may be a Jounin, but you're ill prepared. You're not dressed appropriately for combat."

The blonde quirked an eyebrow(not that it could be seen) at the small amount of spite in his tone before looking down at herself. She wasn't wearing her usual uniform, as she had been resting that day. She was wearing one of her mother's old kimono blouses with long sleeves, a dark-red obi, black calf length trousers, a sleeve-less, white haori(emblazoned with an Uzumaki spiral on the back) and high-heel shinobi sandals similar to Tsunade's in design. As per the usual, she wore her hair up in a ponytail and had her Ryuu mask secured over her face. She could have simply "created" her clothes with the use of her Chihenge, but the feel of the actual fabric was always much more gratifying than a coat of chakra.

She snorted as she placed her hands on her hips. "Please, explain to me, because I'm afraid I am lowly and don't understand what it is that you are getting at." The blonde eyed the Uchiha curiously. She honestly wondered where his irritation that was quite obviously directed at her came from. Certainly, Uchiha Sasuke was not known as the town's number one social butterfly, but normally he would simply ignore those that bothered him. She may have been wrong, but he seemed to be acting deliberately hostile.

"… If there was an attack on the village, you wouldn't be prepared. I can tell that you don't have any weapons on your person, and there wouldn't be a lot you could do." His eyes were glaring daggers and his teeth were slightly bared. The blonde wondered what had ticked off the boy; perhaps she had overstepped her bounds that day she had spoken to him as Fuuko, or maybe he was just blinded by his usual pride. She watched as he gestured to her hair with his arm and sneered. "And your hair is too long. You're basically begging for an enemy to yank it and slit your throat."

The blonde cocked her head to the side as she mentally noted that, no, it wasn't just her imagination. The boy had some sort of vendetta against her. "Don't you think you're assuming a bit much, Uchiha?" She watched with slight amusement as her clone rolled it's eyes and Sakura looked between Sasuke and Fuuko, panic steadily growing.

The addressed boy stared with a faux look of reticence, ignoring Sakura's silent pleading for him to stop. "I'm just pointing out what I see."

Fuuko sighed and stepped back, taking on a casual stance. She rolled her shoulders once, lifted her right hand and curled her middle and pointer fingers in a taunting motion. Sasuke scowled lightly, perhaps at the fact that she didn't settle into an actual stance, or perhaps at the fact that he was goading him. Regardless, when he didn't move to attack, the blonde gave a low chuckle and decided to _make_ him. "What, are you scared you'll be proven wrong, Uchiha-_chan_?"

That did it. With a growl, Sasuke shot forward at the blonde with a fist prepared, seemingly aimed at her mask-concealed face. Fuuko stepped to her left and gently re-directed the attack, causing the raven-haired boy to stumble slightly before slamming the hand on the ground and following through with a backwards-kick. She grabbed his ankle and kicked his supporting arm out from under him, flipping him so that he was facing the sky. In a concealed motion, she unsealed her Beniryuu from the hidden seal under her sleeve and gripped it with her right. With a swift heel to the stomach, she slammed him down to the earth and pinned his arms above his head with her left hand, pressing the cold, crimson steel of her weapon to his neck with her right. Sasuke merely stared up at her, wide-eyed and slightly out of breath.

The rather one-sided fight lasted for all of a split second.

"_Uchiha-chan_," she started, earning a half-hearted glare from the boy, "you _really_ ought to be careful about who you challenge. You should know that appearances aren't everything, and being prepared for the unexpected is something that is required of all shinobi looking to _live_ past the age of fifteen." She released him and stood up to dust herself off. With a flick of her wrist, the blade disappeared, and she held out a hand to Sasuke. The sarcastic drawl she had been speaking in was gone, replaced with the tone of an instructor or teacher. "Your form is good and smooth, showing experience and practice, but there is no variation. You are so fluid with your motions that it makes it rather easy for your opponent to determine where you will land and what your next move will be, so try and work on that."

When he remained seated on the ground, glowering at her, she rolled her eyes and yanked him up by his large collar. She quickly dusted him off, ignoring his meager attempts to bat her arms away like a petulant child.

"Sakura." She turned slowly to face Sakura, who had gone eerily silent through the exchange. Said pinkette, who was staring with a mixture of awe and horror, immediately jerked at the sound of her name.

"Y-yes, Namikaze-san?" She questioned meekly.

Fuuko rolled her eyes and waved a hand in the air as though waving away something foul. "Just Fuuko, please. Namikaze-san makes me think of someone else," at Sakura's quick nod, she continued. "Anyway, let's see what you're capable of, now."

Sakura only gaped at her, and the blonde crossed her arms. They stayed like this for a solid ten seconds before Fuuko let out a sigh.

"I'm waiting, Haruno," she drawled.

The young kunoichi flinched and began playing with the ends of her hair in a nervous fashion. "U-uh, what do you want me to do?" She gave a faint scowl at the steadily rising pitch of her voice.

"Attack me, Taijutsu only," Fuuko replied. "I'll only be defending, and you will try to land a hit. Start whenever you're ready."

Sakura looked hesitantly at the blonde, but when she received an affirmative nod, she leapt forward.

As Fuuko had thought, Sakura wasn't _bad_ in Taijutsu. No, she went through the motions flawlessly and with precision. Exactly as the teachers taught, in a textbook manner. That was exactly where her faults lay, however; her movements were so perfect and textbook that they were painfully predictable, more so than Sasuke's Taijutsu which was based on the Uchiha style. The girl had no sense of originality whatsoever, but it wasn't as if anyone could blame her for it. She came from a civilian family, and unlike Genin from Shinobi descent, she had no basis or foundation other than what she built for herself. It didn't help that most of her hits were severely lacking in actual power and were more like light brushes than actual hits. Such was the result of practice sparring as opposed to actual combat, however.

Fuuko raised her right hand and Sakura immediately halted her onslaught, panting heavily and clearly drained. The blonde placed a hand on her hip and began ticking off what she had found out from the spar. "You have no stamina, no power, no originality, and your movements are highly predictable, more so than Uchiha's. I noticed that your hair got in your face more than a few times, and had I been looking to harm you, it would've been all too easy to grab your hair." Sakura seemed to wilt at the criticism. "However, I hear that you've been working on chakra control, and there is a solution utilizing your already above-average control that will not only build up strength but help with your stamina as well."

The pinkette's head shot up and she stared at Fuuko with wide, expectant eyes. "Really…? What is it?"

The blonde nodded to her clone, who shrugged and walked a few meters away. She channeled a small amount of chakra to her fist and slammed it into the earth, resulting in the cracked earth splitting and shifting, leaving debris and jagged rock where the once flat training grounds used to be. The damage was minimal with a small 6 meter radius, but it was still enough to surprise Sakura, and even Sasuke, who had been silently observing the exchange.

"That," Fuuko started, smirking, "is a chakra-powered punch. Something that you would undoubtedly benefit from using."

"It's not something you should be using yet, Sakura." The clone-Naruto walked up to Sakura and placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking the girl from her shock. "Soon, but not yet. The chakra works like a… Slingshot, I suppose, and while it works wonders for enhancing strength, it could strain and cause irreparable damage to your muscles if used inappropriately. It really depends on what part of your fist or blow you focus the chakra on, as focus on different areas and muscles can yield different results."

Fuuko nodded at her clones explanation. "Continue working on chakra-control building exercises and you'll be more prepared for the technique when the time comes." She thought for a moment. "And consider a new hairstyle. Like I said, it only got in the way for you. My hair was shorter than Naruto's at your age, and it wasn't until I had become substantially faster that I allowed it to grow out."

Sakura immediately grabbed for her hair and played with the ends, clearly reluctant to cut off the length. Her darting eyes that went from her hair to Sasuke gave the rather obvious hint at exactly what—or who—her long hair was for.

A flicker of silver in the corner of Fuuko's eye made her groan in slight frustration. "Yo."

"You're LATE!" Sakura yelled angrily, with more vehemence than usual. The Genin of Team Seven glared daggers at they lazy sensei(even clone-Naruto was acting the part) but walked towards their sensei anyway, awaiting orders.

"Maa, I got lost on the road of life, and a black cat crossed my path so I had to take the longer route…" His only response was the heated glares of two and the bland, unimpressed gaze of a short blonde. Fuuko could tell that the look unnerved the man slightly, as the hand that held his book rubbed at the spine slightly.

"… Anyway," Kakashi started again with a cough, turning to Fuuko. "You guys can work on what Fuuko told you about. We're going to have a little chat before we begin our mission."

Sakura tilted her head to the side as her brow furrowed. "Um, sensei, Nami-Fuuko-san didn't give any pointers to Naruto yet…"

Fuuko grinned under her mask. Even though it was unnecessary on the girl's part, Sakura still stood up for Naruto, and she appreciated the gesture. "It's alright, Sakura," her clone started. "Fuuko has already helped me before, so I know what I have to work on." Sakura seemed to accept the explanation, and the three Genin got to work on their own—Sakura on her chakra control exercises, Naruto with her katas. Sasuke seemed to be sulking somewhat, but he, too, appeared to have taken the blonde's words to heart.

Fuuko turned to the presence beside her—Kakashi—who had walked up next to her to watch his students. Inwardly, she sighed. 'So much for avoiding all of the Jounin,' she thought petulantly.

"Maa, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to steal my precious students from me." The copy-nin's statement was said in a bored drawl, typical of the man.

The blonde let out a quiet chuckle and shrugged. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Maybe I'm just trying to help a few pitiful Genin who happened to be the unlucky bunch to be stuck with a perpetually late sensei." She watched with amusement as Kakashi's only visible eye twitched slightly. "… But one technically already belongs to me."

Kakashi glanced at her for a brief moment before looking back at the three Genin. "… Hm, Naruto may be your relative, but…"

"We share the same blood, the same loneliness, and the same burden," Fuuko stated cryptically.

"… What do you mean by that?" Kakashi continued to stare ahead, but his tone was missing the playful lilt. "Now that I think about it, I don't recall Naruto ever mentioning that he knew you. Why do you two appear so close?"

"I have Uzumaki blood, and Naruto knows this. We protect each other, as two of the last members of the Uzumaki clan." She was always fighting on her own, trying desperately hard to protect herself from the world as a child. It wasn't a lie. It was a convenient truth, as she didn't know how much she wanted Kakashi to know. "That's all there is to it. I wouldn't try to read into it too much, if I were you."

She hoped dearly that he wouldn't pursue the subject, and the two continued to watch the Genin of Team Seven in silence. After a few minutes, Fuuko felt oddly antsy and had the urge to go do _something_ other than stand around and watch her clone go through katas she hadn't use in _years_. She scratched the back of her head and turned to Kakashi. "Er… Well, I better go say bye to them. I already finished nitpicking them and you're here, so I'll just—"

"How about a spar?"

The blonde blinked. "… Huh?" She replied, dumbfounded.

"I've been wanting a rematch," Kakashi hummed, eye-smiling at her with a tilted head. "Ever since the evaluation, I've been wanting to even the score. I don't think it's very fair that you got to see my signature move while you barely used any Ninjutsu whatsoever."

Fuuko snorted once she recovered her bearings. "It's not my fault that you decided to use an _assassination_ technique in an _evaluation_," she drawled sarcastically.

Kakashi shrugged. "I admit, that wasn't exactly a calm and calculated move on my part. But I realized that I had to take you seriously, so I stopped holding back. Like I said, it's not fair that I pulled out all the stops while you barely displayed a portion of your repertoire; I'd like to see exactly how well you've mastered the elemental Ninjutsu."

"Maybe some other time, Kakashi," Fuuko waved a hand dismissively. "After all, neither of us can go all-out here, not if we don't want to end up with a D-Rank mission to fix the training grounds."

The copy-nin winced at this before giving a nod, albeit a little dejectedly. "… Still, it _is_ a rather interesting look."

Fuuko raised an eyebrow, and though it was a motion that couldn't be seen, Kakashi appeared to have picked up on her questioning look. "Your outfit. You are rather conservative, considering your age."

She decided to ignore the fact that Kakashi seemed to have heard her earlier conversation, and for the second time that day, Fuuko looked down at herself. In the Genjutsu when she had been Hokage, her entire wardrobe consisted of outfits similar to what she had on. Old-fashioned and outdated, those were the words Ino and Sakura would use to describe her new style, but Hinata politely commented that she looked elegant. The wardrobe change from her orange and black jumpsuit to her kimonos and haori was mostly in homage to the Sandaime, Godaime, and Jiraiya. When she had found the Yondaime's old Hokage haori, she had been more than ecstatic(and opted to wear it, despite the emblazoned "四" on the back).

"What can I say, I like old fogey clothes. I think they suit me," she said with a shrug.

Kakashi only gave an eye-smile in response.

* * *

'… Kurama,' Fuuko thought quietly.

'**I noticed,'** the fox growled. **'You're being followed.'**

So, her suspicions weren't false. Well, she had no doubt she was being followed, but she had some trouble discerning who it was that was tailing her. Whoever—or whatever—it was had been following her ever since she left Team Seven at the training grounds, and served as a constant, indiscernible annoyance.

'It's… Weird, whoever is following me,' she started. 'I'm almost certain that they are ANBU, as no one below that could repress their chakra to such a degree. It's almost nonexistent. But…'

'**But that's not the only thing missing.'** Fuuko could only nod dumbly, though she kept the action as minimal as possible.

She couldn't remember when, but at some point in the past she had developed a sensing ability that could label her as a veritable sensor. It was most likely from her father, Minato, as he had some sensor-like abilities. Her abilities had been subpar at best during the war, but when Kurama's chakra—along with the Six Paths Sage Chakra—came into play, she had grown substantially in her ability to detect chakra signatures, scent, the smallest sound, intent… And emotions.

Whoever it was that was following her was missing two of those crucial points. There was no emotion whatsoever, and as such, no intent. Even when simply tailing someone, a normal human would have a hint of intent and emotion, and yet, there was none from her shadows. Considering the implications, that only meant bad, bad things for the blonde.

'Danzou,' she thought with bitter resentment.

This wasn't good. In all honesty, the man hadn't been on her mind as much as as he should've been; even though he did have Konoha's best interests at heart, he was still a major threat to Fuuko's plans and precious people. If she had caught the attention of the man, then there was no doubt that she was in danger, whether it be her life or her safely guarded truth. The old warhawk was no doubt wondering where this conveniently-placed "Namikaze" came from.

Still, she didn't have to take any immediate action. Not yet. She would inform the Sandaime about it, hopefully point him in the right direction in regards to Danzou and his ROOT faction later on, but not yet.

With that thought in mind, Fuuko pointedly ignored her temporary shadows and walked into the bookstore.

* * *

Sakura stood with a slight slump to her shoulders, her eyes darting from the ground to the figure in front of her. She worried her lip as she awaited the final verdict.

Naruto cut an imposing figure, with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed dangerously as she assessed the creation.

It was a crude mockery of a sphere, if one were to be honest; it was not balanced and had multiple lumps across it's surface. However, considering Sakura had only been working with this particular exercise for about a week…

The blonde turned to the nervous pinkette, a smile in place and her right thumb indicating a job well-done. "Congrats, Sakura, not only do you have tree-walking and water-walking mastered, but your control is good enough to the point that you can now work on Iryo-ninjutsu."

Sakura cheered happily, throwing her hands into the air in glee. The exercise Naruto had started the pinkette on was one that she had made herself, and it was fashioned after a certain Missing-nin's clay technique. The user channeled their chakra into a lump of Naruto's special chakra-clay(regular clay which was treated with her potent chakra) and worked to shape it into a specified shape or form. Sakura's task was to make it into a sphere. The girl had, at first, thought that it would be an easy endeavor. However, shaping this clay required the user to pump a rather large amount of chakra into it, and whatever shape the user moulded their chakra into was the shape the clay took. That's where the trick was; Sakura had been struggling to not only maintain an even output of chakra, but to control it in an even and balanced fashion.

It was an exercise that could work well for those learning the Rasengan—as that had been it's original purpose—but with some consideration, Naruto realized that it was even more fit to be an Iryo-ninjutsu exercise. It used the same principles with keeping a steady output of chakra and helped budding medics practice their Shousen Jutsu without having to use some unfortunate individual that risked more severe injury should the medic slip with their control.

Naruto laughed and placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder, abruptly halting her cheerful dance. The kunoichi blushed, apparently having realized that she had lost herself in her elation. "I can't really help you past here, Sakura, so you should check out some books from the library on Iryo-ninjutsu. Start off with sewing together small surface wounds first, like small abrasions or scabs. Nothing more dangerous, yet."

The blonde pulled out a scroll and handed to Sakura, who looked at it questioningly. "What's this, Naruto?"

Naruto smiled. "Consider it a congratulatory gift for being such a great student. In the scroll are some books on Iryo-Ninjutsu: two are more-or-less how-to books and the third is a theory book written by Tsunade herself. Read through them, they'll help."

Sakura's eyes widened, and before Naruto could even register what was happening, she found herself in a loose embrace. It was quick, and Sakura almost immediately withdrew, a small grin forming on her lips. "Thanks, Naruto!"

Naruto smiled back, happy that her gift would not go unused. Sasuke walked over and peered over Sakura's shoulder, causing said girl to squeak in surprise. "What is that?"

"A scroll with some books for Sakura," Naruto replied evenly. "Some Iryo-ninjutsu books, in case you were wondering."

Sasuke raised a questioning eyebrow. "What for?"

With a grin, Naruto slung an arm over Sakura's shoulder. "Just helping Sakura a bit. She has the best natural chakra control out of most, and she's currently working on becoming a medic-nin just like Tsunade."

Sakura fidgeted as a light blush dusted her cheeks from the assessing gaze she was under from Sasuke, and Naruto wondered silently if he was going to make a derisive remark.

After a few moments, Sasuke nodded slightly. "… Hn." And then he walked away.

Naruto was minutely surprised by the reply which had undertones of approval, but Sakura didn't seem to catch this, even though she was typically one to pay utmost attention to her crush.

She was too busy gushing over her new books.

* * *

Naruto's eye twitched as the presence behind her approached closer, daring to shorten the distance between them.

Ever since Naruto(as Fuuko) realized that Danzou's ROOT were trailing her, she made it a point to use her "Fuuko" alias less frequently out in public. To her chagrin, Fuuko's absence seemed to only redirect their attention… To Naruto herself.

She didn't know why. Perhaps Danzou suspected the truth, though the blonde sorely hoped not. She had taken extra precautions, leaving a Chikage Bunshin Fuuko to go to her own apartment and take missions, just so the old warhawk wouldn't catch on to the rather obtuse truth.

The odd thing about her shadows was that they never approached her when she spent time with her team. Perhaps they were ordered to avoid Team Seven, what with Kakashi being their literal guard dog. Whatever was the case, the only time Naruto found that she wasn't under surveillance was while she was performing the meager tasks of D-Ranks or training with her team, and in all honesty, she appreciated it.

Why, though, was Danzou keeping an eye on her at all? As far as she knew, despite her status as the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki the man never paid any particular attention to her during her younger years, mostly because of the Sandaime's interference. She was not unstable, and even if she was, it was simple enough for Danzou to request an evaluation from the Sandaime under the pretense of, "for the safety of Konoha." Because other than that, Danzou really didn't care about much else; everything about him had to do with Konoha, the old ways, and power.

Naruto blinked.

'… Shit,' she thought quietly, a scowl making it's way onto her face. '_Power._ That's it.' She raked a hand down her face as the pieces fell together in her mind. '… Fuck.'

Danzou was a man who appreciated power. Naruto, when she really was a twelve-year-old, had proven to be anything but. She was just an idiotic and naive child the first time around, and Danzou had no need for brats.

But _this _time, the man had no doubt heard about her ability, her supposed _prodigious_ tendencies. After all, she hadn't exactly done much to hide the fact that she was stronger than her graduating class. It wasn't necessary; she had been focusing on _not showing too much_, not on _refraining from showing power at all_. In Danzou's wrinkly little eyes, she was most likely a pawn with potential, a pawn that he was weighing the attributes of.

For a brief moment, the blonde considered the idea of being conscripted into ROOT. The whole brain-washing thing could easily be deflected with the help of Kurama. She'd then have the chance to save Sai, who, despite not being the most tactful individual, was someone that Naruto considered important to her.

The idea was quickly discarded. She had already decided that she wouldn't change anything major, if it didn't deal with someone's death. That was as much as she would allow herself, no matter the pain it inflicted to see her loved ones' suffering.

Her thoughts were brought to a screeching halt when she collided with a wall and found herself sitting on her ass in the dirt. '… Wait, no, not a wall,' she though absently, rubbing her sore face.

She squinted her eyes up at the imposing figure before her, and promptly froze when she recognized the man. Her mouth fell open and she shouted with no small amount of horror, "YOU AGAIN!?"

Naruto really had the worst of luck, sometimes. Of all people to encounter, of all times for it to happen, it had to be _him_ and_ now_. Before anyone else could make a move, she disappeared in a flash of gold, leaving behind her confused shadows and a disgruntled Sannin. She belatedly remembered her promise to not _run_ away the next time she saw the man, but shrugged.

'Next time,' she thought with no remorse. Maybe when an emotional breakdown wouldn't throw the proverbial wrench into her plans.

Because honestly, she _still_ didn't know if she'd hug the man or beat him to death when she finally met him.

* * *

Naruto was at home, reading through some Fuuinjutsu theory books when the rush of memories accosted her mind.

_The pinkette beamed at having done a good job, and clone-Naruto eyed the healed wound with a discerning eye. She nodded satisfactorily, and turned back to her teammate._

"_It's good, Sakura, but let's see you attempt the Shousen Jutsu on a more severe injury." In a quick motion, Naruto seared the top of her skin with a hiss, high-powered enough to cause damage but not powerful enough to dispel her Chikage Bunshin body._

"_Naruto!" Sakura cried out in horror. "Are you okay? Why did you do that!?"_

"_Why do you think," Naruto replied quietly, averting her eyes from the bubbling skin. She thrust the injured arm out in front of Sakura and leveled the girl with a steely gaze. "Heal it."_

"_Wha—but I don't know if—"_

"_Sakura," Naruto stated in a warning tone. The pinkette gulped and nodded, setting to work on healing the wound._

_It took a few minutes, but when Sakura had finished, Naruto inspected her arm. The area that had been burned and promptly healed had a slightly pinker hue to it, and the skin was only slightly sensitive to the touch. Sakura had performed the technique perfectly._

_With a smile, the blonde turned to her friend. "You're doing really well, Sakura, and your chakra control has definitely improved. You healed my injury perfectly, even! With enough time, you'll be able to power your punches with chakra soon." A small bit of pride welled up from within her, helping the girl and watching as she improved to such an extent._

_Sakura nodded, smiling, but immediately frowned afterwards. "… Just don't do that again, Naruto. That was dangerous."_

_Naruto waved a dismissive hand. "I'm fine, I wouldn't have died from it." At Sakura's glare, Naruto turned to look up at Kakashi, who sat on a tree branch above them. "Besides, Kakashi-sensei is here, too. He's a responsible adult, he would've promptly rushed me to the hospital had something truly dangerous happened. Right sensei?"_

_The copy-nin scratched his chin as his only visible eye drifted upwards, a thoughtful look in place. "Maa… I'm not sure. Technically, it was a self-afflicted wound, so you should take responsibility for it…"_

_The blonde rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I know that you love us, Kakashi-sensei, even though you like acting like a distant jerk."_

_Before Kakashi had a chance to reply, Sasuke walked up and all but demanded Naruto's attention. "Oi, dobe, I have a question."_

_Naruto blinked a few times before grinning. "Is it an actual question or a monosyllabic grunt?"_

_Sakura looked on questioningly as Sasuke rolled his eyes. "That woman, Namikaze Fuuko. Do you know when she'll come back?"_

"… _Huh?" Naruto replied confusedly._

"_Oh! I've been meaning to ask, Naruto, where does Na-I mean-Fuuko-san live? I wanted to bring her a house-warming gift as thanks for helping me last time," Sakura chimed in._

"_Is she on a mission?" Kakashi started, adding his own thoughts to the conversation. "I almost never see her around the town, and she hasn't been at her apartment. I want a rematch."_

_Sakura gasped. "Sensei, you know where Fuuko-san lives?"_

_When Naruto saw a decidedly mischievous glint in Kakashi's eye, she waved her arms in a frantic motion. "Weeeell, I can go, er, find Fuuko and bring her here right now! Just wait here, okay guys?"_

_Before her teammates could say anything, Naruto darted off into the trees and dispelled._

_SLAM._

The real Naruto groaned in frustration, as slamming her head against her coffee table hadn't been enough to relieve her of the stress.

With a sigh, she stood up to create a clone before she Chihenge'd as Fuuko. She promptly turned to her clone and growled in a low tone. "… I know you're not the same one, but I hate you so much right now."

The shorter blonde shrugged as they walked out of the dull apartment. "I don't blame you, I hate 'me' too right now."

A couple well-placed Shunshins later, Fuuko and her clone found themselves at Training ground 8, wondering why exactly they were there. Before Fuuko could change her mind and go back to the safety of her apartment, Sasuke walked up and nodded his head before staring at her expectantly.

"I want a rematch."

"I gathered as much," Fuuko mumbled incoherently before walking to the middle of the grounds. "Did you work on what I told you?"

She received no response or acknowledgement; Sasuke merely walked to the area opposite of her and settled into a stance. She shook her head. "Whenever you're ready, Uchiha."

Sasuke nodded once before charging straight at her. The blonde clicked her tongue as she easily deflected a kick that was aimed at her side. Using the momentum of his deflected attack, she flipped him over and threw him to the side. "Predictable. I told you to change your strategy, otherwise your enemy will be several steps ahead of you."

The raven-haired boy released a quiet growl before charging forward again. Fuuko readied herself to deflect another blow, and was faintly pleased to find that Sasuke had instead dashed behind her, aiming for her feet with a sweeping kick. Fuuko leapt up and backwards, and before she managed to reach the ground she twisted to deflect a punch that was aimed at her exposed stomach. She had managed to successfully avoid any damage, but still found herself staring face-to-face with a smirking Sasuke.

"And you said that I was too predictable," Sasuke goaded. "It was too easy to predict that you'd jump backwards and leave yourself open like that."

Fuuko shrugged. "Mixing in both arbitrary and systematic tactics is exactly what makes someone unpredictable, because it offsets a certain pattern." She lifted her right hand and gave a "bring it" motion.

Sasuke grunted and charged, but before he reached his second step he found himself pinned to the ground face-down, arms held behind his back and legs secured. "Enough," she stated before releasing him and standing up, fighting the slight disappointment that arose.

Kakashi approached while clapping his hands in a slow manner, and Fuuko tilted her head to the side. "My turn," he stated simply, almost eagerly.

The blonde let out an amused laugh, causing the copy-nin's brow to furrow slightly. "Sorry Kakashi, not today. Maybe some other time." The only reply she received was a rather prominent twitch of the man's right eye, but other than that, he didn't comment.

Fuuko turned back to Sasuke, who stood with tense shoulders and an unreadable expression. "That was three times that you decided that charging the enemy was the best course of action. Your variation has improved, but it is still rather predictable. Try adding your own variation to whatever style of Taijutsu you use, it could help make the style more flexible."

When Sasuke looked up without any hint of resentment in his eyes, Fuuko was surprised. When he nodded his head in acknowledgement, she was beyond surprised. When he muttered a small, "thank you," she thought something was wrong.

She stared at the boy before her, wondering if something she wasn't aware of happened to him. "Er… Are you okay?" Fuuko questioned, eyeing the subtle movements he made. Sasuke merely raised an eyebrow, and she elaborated. "You're actually listening to me, Uchiha. I'm shocked."

Sasuke didn't reply immediately, and he averted his eyes. "… Sasuke."

"What?" She heard what he had said, but she didn't quite know why he had called out his own name.

The raven-haired boy turned back to meet her gaze. "My name. Just call me Sasuke."

Fuuko blinked once in faint surprise before smirking, though it was concealed. "I actually call you 'Uchiha' because there are a few other names that come to mind when I look at you. Names that you probably wouldn't appreciate, like 'Uchibi' and 'duck-ass', but I could settle for 'Sasuke-chan' too." At the latter term, the boy grimaced before sending a potent glare at the blonde, who only smirked wider. "Or maybe Sasuke-teme, like Naruto says."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Just Sasuke." Fuuko smiled. She still didn't know what exactly had the boy so bothered about her at first, but like with most things concerning the Uchiha, it was easy to gain his respect in a show of power—no matter how temporary.

Off to the side, Sakura, Kakashi, and clone-Naruto watched on with expressions ranging from surprised to amused.

"Did Sasuke just…" Sakura stated quietly, eyes wide. Naruto was busy laughing at her sensei's expression. Kakashi pouted ever so slightly, though it was more like a glare than a pout.

"… I still want my rematch."

* * *

"Hey Jijii, what did you need to speak to me about?" Naruto questioned cheerily with a small wave, taking her seat in front of the man's desk. "Hopefully it's nothing too serious?"

When she felt chakra wash over her from the time-space seal, she straightened in her seat as her expression darkened. "… What happened?"

Hiruzen shook his head languidly before giving the young blonde a smile. "Nothing has happened, Naruto. I just want to discuss a few things."

Naruto sighed in relief as she settled back into her chair. "Alright. Well, what do you want to know?"

"The future, my death, and the death of a few others," he replied easily, noticing the slight flinch that Naruto gave at the mention.

'Nothing happened, but it's a far cry from "not serious,"' she thought quietly. The blonde clenched and unclenched her hands, wondering how to phrase her words and how much to divulge. After a few moments of organizing her thoughts, she looked up at the Sandaime and began. "… Of everyone that I consider loyal to Konoha or close to my heart, you, Jiraiya, Uchiha Itachi, Sarutobi Asuma, and Hayate Gekko died at some point in the future."

Naruto noticed the quick intake of breath her grandfather-figure took at the mention of Asuma's name, and repressed the urge to bite her lip.

"… How did he die?" The dejected look on Hiruzen's face was enough to tell her who he was talking about. "Were we… On better terms…?"

Naruto winced. How was she supposed to tell him that _he_ was dead before they had patched up their relationship? That he had been the first to die? That he had left his son with nothing but regrets for not trying to reconnect with his only father? Naruto forcibly released the death grip she held the arms of her chair in and steeled her resolve. "… Tsunade-baachan became Hokage, after your death. Asuma-sensei didn't die until the Rookie 9—my class—was around the age of 15 and 16, so we still have some time before then." Before Hiruzen could ask anymore on the subject and fall prey to his own emotions, Naruto asked a question that was on her mind the moment he had asked her about the future. "By the way, Jijii, why didn't you ask me earlier about this stuff? You could have had me give you all the details the moment you found out I was from the future, after all."

Hiruzen gave her a small smile, perhaps realizing that she was trying to change the subject, and seemingly grateful for it. "It's for the same reason for why I didn't press you for all the other information: to keep the timeline. You had said that you did not want to pointlessly throw away your trump card, which is your knowledge of future events. I know that you are not truly a child, Naruto, and I trust that you will make the correct decisions in regards to the future."

He tapped his chin in a thoughtful manner. "… By the way, that reminds me. Naruto, do you know who your Godfather is?"

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah. Erosennin."

"…'Erosennin'…?"

"Ah…" Naruto scratch the back of her head sheepishly and chuckled. "That's my nickname for Jiraiya. Because he's the Gama Sennin, but he's also a perv."

The quiet snickers she heard across from her were enough indication of her grandfather-figure's approval of the nickname. "That is, a… Fitting name," he managed through his amusement.

Naruto beamed. "I know, right? He likes to go gallivanting around, saying how he's a 'Super Pervert', so it is only fitting that his nickname is Erosennin!"

Hiruzen chuckled a bit more before coughing in an attempt to get back to the topic at hand. "Er, anyway. I'm not quite sure how to say this, in all honesty. Did you two… Not get along?"

Naruto gaped. "Huh…? What are you saying? He was one of the people I was closest to, and was almost like a father to me!" She nearly stood up at the proclamation, and quickly averted her eyes when a painful thought crossed her mind. She hurriedly worked to shove away the annoying feelings of loneliness and regret that encroached on her mood.

The aged man nodded while taking a puff from his pipe. "Hmm… Well, that's rather interesting."

The blonde snapped out of her daze and looked up at the Hokage. "What do you mean?"

With a chuckle, the Sandaime sat back in his chair. "Well, Jiraiya actually came to me recently, complaining about how his own godchild seemed to hate him." Naruto stared at him incredulously. "It was rather amusing, really. The first thing he asked me was if he really looked_ that_ frightening to children, because apparently, you ran as soon as you saw him."

Naruto's eyes widened in realization for a moment before she ducked her head slightly, a nervous embarrassment bubbling forth. "Ugh… I didn't… That wasn't…" She covered her face with her two hands and groaned. "I was just so worried about the timeline that I acted like that. I didn't mean to run away from him." She didn't know how much the man in front of her knew, and she didn't particularly care to bring up the bathhouse incident.

Hiruzen smiled. "I know, and I told him as such. I didn't tell him the full truth, but I told him that he shouldn't take offense to your actions."

The blonde sighed and sat back in her chair. "I know, but he's… He's my Godfather. Honestly, I feel bad about it…" Her thoughts trailed off and a thoughtful frown formed on her features. "… Huh. You know, I never realized it, but Erosennin really _did_ care about me, didn't he?"

"You seem surprised," Hiruzen noted.

Naruto gave a small nod. "… A little. I must've been really, really dense… Or just disbelieving the first time around. I swear, I thought everyone hated me back then. But now, suddenly, I'm seeing new sides to the people I cared about—heck, new sides to people that I didn't really even _consider_ myself close to. I never realized how fiercely protective some people could be." Her frown deepened as her brow furrowed. "… But it doesn't make any sense. Most of them act like… With just the smallest nudge in the right direction, they'll be prepared to move mountains for me. I don't get it."

She honestly didn't, though she did have her suspicions. She knew(or at least suspected) that the Sandaime Hokage had enacted a law to prevent people from interacting with her—why, she still didn't know—as she had learned of such when she became Hokage in the Genjutsu. But there were never any files on the law specifically or on anything else related to her, and she had found it odd at the time. Of course, it was all a Genjutsu, and the level of credibility the information she had learned from it was yet to be determined fully.

Hiruzen gave a disgruntled sigh as he placed his pipe down in the ashtray. "That is a matter for another time, Naruto-chan. I'm afraid now isn't the best time to discuss that." He interlaced his fingers and his gaze hardened, causing the hairs on the back of Naruto's neck to stand on end. "I want your opinion on Shimura Danzou."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "What about?" At the name, she was reminded of another issue that she had decided to put off until she met with the Sandaime. Now was the best time to address it. "Er, by the way, Jijii. Have you been sending ANBU to watch after me?"

"This… is about Danzou, isn't it…" It wasn't a question, and it was stated in a dejected tone. "No, I have not."

It was as good as absolute confirmation. "I see… Well, anyway, about Danzou. My opinion of him matters little, but I can tell you that the man has committed far too many acts of treason to be allowed free. In the future, after a certain attack on Konoha took place, Tsunade-baachan was out of commission. A Gokage Summit took place in preparation for the upcoming threat, Uchiha Madara, and _Danzou_," the name was spat like something foul, "attended as the tentative Rokudaime. He ended up being killed by my teammate, Uchiha Sasuke."

"… So, the truth behind the Uchiha Massacre was revealed to the younger Uchiha, I take it," Sarutobi stated solemnly. "Was this before or after Uchiha Itachi's death?"

Naruto shook her head. "… After."

Hiruzen rubbed his forehead, seemingly trying to abate an oncoming headache. "… No matter, you are here now, and that is a sign for change. There is another matter that we must discuss, and I have had enough prevaricating. Tell me about my death."

The blonde time-traveller winced, knowing full well that she couldn't hold everything from him. "… You die at the hands of Orochimaru, as you know. During the Chuunin exams."

The Sandaime's head shot up in alarm. "Chuunin Exams? How close?"

"The next one. If I'm correct, it's within two months."

Hiruzen nodded with a bitter smile across his face. "Yes, the next are to be held at the beginning of next month. What else?"

Naruto shook her head, both in refusal and in an attempt to dismiss the weight that settled in her stomach. "I'm sorry Jijii. I know it's important, but… Not now. I'm sorry."

The aged man grimaced. "That is fine, Naruto-chan. But please, tell me soon." He glanced to the wall-mounted clock before turning back to the young blonde. "You should probably get back to your team now, I pulled you right when you were in the middle of your training."

"It's okay, Jijii, I left a modified Kage Bunshin with my team like I usually do." She grinned. "They don't suspect a thing, not even Kakashi-sensei."

Hiruzen's brow furrowed. "It's not good to leave your team like that, Naruto."

The blonde shrugged. "It's a Kage Bunshin, I'll have the memories. My 'tenant' already spoke to me and gave me a _humbling_ lecture about priorities." The last bit was mumbled, and Naruto ignored the way the Sandaime stiffened slightly at the mention of "tenant." "I still talk to my team though, so there is no reason to worry, Jijii."

The old Hokage sighed before picking up his pipe and standing up, a smile forming. "Well, why don't we go check up on Team Seven, then, _Fuuko_-chan?"

Naruto's brow furrowed at the sudden change of address before eyeing Hiruzen warily. "… Uh… Why?"

The man gave a rather uncharacteristic shrug. "I don't see why not. I'd like to see for myself how Team Seven works together, and I believe Fuuko's presence would only help."

When she found no reasonable excuse to refute the idea, Naruto let out a suffering sigh and Chihenge'd into her Fuuko persona. She held out a hand to the Sandaime and grumbled, "alright, let's go."

To her confusion, the man only shook his head and walked by her. "We have more to discuss, and I'd rather walk there if you don't mind." He halted at the threshold, a contemplative look set on his face. "… You can make a silencing seal for our conversation to remain private, yes?"

"Fuuko" fell into step beside Hiruzen and promptly wove her chakra into the necessary seal. It was only temporary, but that was all she needed.

They didn't speak a word until they left the Hokage tower.

"…I've heard that you have been helping your team," Hiruzen commented off-handedly. "The reports say that you have gotten the Uchiha survivor to open up, and that you are the cause for Haruno-san's vast improvement. Perhaps you should help out the other teams as well, it is my belief that they would benefit from it."

Naruto released a nervous chuckled. "I don't know about that. I don't think I would be a very good influence on the other teams, sadly, henge'd as Fuuko or not."

"Nonsense," the Sandaime immediately refuted her claim. "You would be a great role model for many of them. You've already shaped Haruno-san to be perfect apprentice material for Tsunade, if only she would come back home. And like I said, the young Uchiha seems more amicable than previously, if the reports are to be trusted."

"Yeah, but Sasuke is still a ways away from being a team player by any stretch of the imagination." Fuuko grimaced as she looked down at herself. "Besides, making bonds with this…"

Hiruzen caught on to her train of thought and offered a sad smile. "Ah, I apologize, I tend to… Forget, about that particular fact. Forgive this old man, but I truly want what will make you happy."

Fuuko nodded. "I know, Jijii. And I want what is best for Konoha, I just…" She scratched her neck, trying to find the right words. "… It's difficult to let go of this guise, when everything is so much easier with it. It hurts, but it's a fact. No one will listen to a little demon brat, and while an unknown factor is suspicious, they are more likely to treat me with the respect I require to gain favor. Even if it is respect accompanied by slight fear."

A small silence fell between them, and Hiruzen looked up at the clear sky with a decidedly thoughtful expression on his face.

"Hmm… Well, it's only a few years, yes?" The blonde looked at him curiously. "When this position will be vacant and ready for a certain blonde with blue eyes."

Fuuko choked and found herself stumbling slightly as her grandfather-figure laughed unrepentantly. "Um, well, I uh," Fuuko struggled for words. How was she to explain that she _hadn't_ become Hokage as early as he had assumed? She had a reason for not telling him the full truth in the beginning, after all. "I mean, how do I explain… It's not… It's not quite what you're thi—"

"I know."

She stumbled again. "… Huh?" Was her oh-so-intelligent reply.

Hiruzen looked straight ahead, though Fuuko could see the smallest hint of sadness in his eyes. "You haven't told me everything, I know that. Did you truly think you could pull the wool over my eyes? I may be old, but I am still known as the 'professor' and I'm fiercely protective over those I care for. When it comes to people you care for, you are rather poor at lying, Naruto-chan." He turned to face her, a stern look on his face—like that of a parent scolding a young child. "I can wait for the day that you will tell me the truth, but I would appreciate it if you would trust me with it sooner than later."

"Fuuko" could only give a weak nod. How else was she supposed to respond to that? She couldn't just tell him everything right then and there, no matter how much she wished to.

'But why?'

It was a traitorous thought that popped into her head. _Why_ couldn't she tell him? Would it really be so bad to tell him the truth? Deep down, Fuuko—_Naruto_ felt guilty. To tell him the truth meant facing her mistakes, and risking being overtaken by her powerful sense of guilt. She had traveled to the past to change things, and the guilt from her own past would only weigh on her mind and provide an unnecessary risk to the lives of others.

It was selfish, to keep the truth to herself for such a reason, but it was the only way that she remained stable.

"Hokage-sama!?" Fuuko looked up at the familiar, high-pitched voice, inwardly shocked that they had already made it to the training grounds. Team Seven made it's way over—Sasuke walked "coolly," Sakura bounded over, Kakashi sauntered, and clone-Naruto flanked them.

"Fuuko-san, you're here too!" Sakura beamed up at the blonde, who only managed a small nod in return. Both the pinkette and raven looked between the Hokage and Fuuko with questioning looks on their faces. "What are you doing here?"

Fuuko shrugged. "Hokage-sama and I were just talking and decided to pay you guys a visit."

"Oh?" Kakashi was the one who spoke this time. "What were you talking about?"

"Well, I _am_ getting a bit too old for this position," Hiruzen stated casually. "We were just talking about the future of Konoha." Fuuko had to admire the half-truths the man was able to weave.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You were talking about succession?"

The Sandaime laughed heartily, glancing to (a rather confused)Fuuko. "Well, I was talking to my future successor, after all."

The blonde choked on air, though she had managed to repress the action to the point where only the Hokage and Kakashi noticed. She knew the latter had noticed it by the smug expression he had on his face(well, eye, since 75% of his face was covered).

Almost simultaneously, the members of Team Seven—minus Naruto—turned to said blonde, who only quirked an eyebrow at the sudden attention. "… What?" She finally asked.

Sakura gaped. "You're not going to say that _you're_ going to be Hokage? In the Academy, you always yelled to everyone about how you were going to be the next!" Though Sasuke and Kakashi didn't verbalize it, they both appeared to be rather shocked as well. Fuuko only looked at her clone with slight worry. It was a sad day when one couldn't trust their own clone to withhold important information.

However, the clone only shrugged. "Why? He's telling the truth. After all, out of all of us here Fuuko is the most likely to become Hokage." She jerked a finger in Hiruzen's direction. "Heck, if Jijii needed someone to take over a year ago, she _definitely_ would've been able to. She has the potential to be the best Hokage _ever._"

By now, Fuuko was glaring daggers at her cheeky clone, and felt a faint blush spread across her face as she noticed the trembling of the Sandaime's shoulders. Even an_ Academy student_ could tell that the man was trying desperately hard to not burst out in uncontrollable laughter. The rest of Team Seven simply watched the oddly amused Hokage, the randomly irritated Fuuko, and the strangely smug-looking Naruto with confusion.

Fuuko only had one thought on her mind. 'Stupid, _stupid_ mutinous clones.'

* * *

**A/N****: Lots of friendship, bond-making, drama and not a lot of actual story progression. Bleh. But guess what? *waves***

… **Yeah, no, I'm not sorry for that. Wave Arc is next!**


	11. Turning the Tides

**Rating****: T**

**A/N****: NOTE THAT THIS CHAPTER HAS INSTANCES OF SELF-HARM. Not with the connotation it has in modern-day, but please do not take this to mean that it's acceptable in any shape or form. These people are ninjas that can scale up walls and can use what is essentially magic. Word count is ~14.3k.**

**Disclaimer****: Do not own.**

* * *

**Turning the Tides**

When Team Seven entered the Hokage's office, Naruto had to repress the urge to glare at the man that stood in front of them and promptly start swearing with less-than-proper profanities. She had detected the wavering and rather small chakra signature prior to entering the room, but had thought nothing of it at the time. Now, though, the blonde's brain was working overtime, trying to make sense of the situation.

The grey-haired man turned lazily to look at the new arrivals. "Hah? … Are _these_ runts supposed to protect me?" His eyes narrowed at the members of Team Seven—whether that was because of the alcohol that likely impaired his senses or not, Naruto was unsure—and scoffed when his gaze fell on Naruto. "They've got an invalid, a girl, a girly-boy, and the runt of the runts! How are these weaklings supposed to protect me?"

Naruto sent a subdued glare in the direction of the Sandaime, which promptly earned her a whack to the back of her head, courtesy of one Haruno Sakura. "Naruto, you're being disrespectful!" Though Sakura had taken on the role of mediator, she was also clearly fuming at the label of "girl" that the old man had given her(or perhaps she was angry at what was implied by the mention of her gender). Naruto turned her gaze back to the Sandaime, who looked positively smug, and she inwardly wondered if he somehow knew about the mission. She didn't recall showing Inoichi the events of this, so she was uncertain.

"Tazuna-san, please, do not worry. Team Seven is one of our best Genin teams and is under the instruction of Hatake Kakashi. You will be safely guarded, I assure you." Hiruzen smiled warmly at the drunkard, who only grunted in response. Naruto released a suffering sigh.

Yes, apparently, Team Seven had been saddled with the Wave mission, _again_. Of course, Naruto had fully intended on playing the part of a fed-up Genin and requesting the nostalgic "C"-Rank as things had gone before, so she wasn't complaining… Much. She simply hadn't expected the mission to fall into her lap so easily.

Hiruzen coughed to get the team's attention. While Sakura and Sasuke went ramrod straight, Kakashi only straightened slightly and Naruto stared expectantly at the old man. "Team Seven, your mission is to escort Tazuna-san, a bridge builder, to his home in Wave. You will depart tomorrow morning."

Kakashi nodded to the village leader before turning to his team of Genin. "Let's meet at the gate tomorrow, 6 o'clock sharp."

Sakura was about to ask if _he_ was going to be there at 6, but the silver-haired man Shunshin'd away before a single word could be muttered. She sighed as Sasuke scowled, and the two bowed to the Hokage before turning around to exit the room, followed by Tazuna. When Sakura noticed that her blonde-haired teammate wasn't following, she turned around and sent Naruto a questioning look. "Naruto? Are you coming?"

Naruto simply gave a two-finger wave. "I have some stuff to talk to Jijii about, so you guys go ahead."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something—inquire about what they were going to talk about, or reprimand the blonde—but promptly shut her mouth with an audible click when she felt a distinct chill in the air. She mumbled a quick, "okay," before leaving the room, which was completely silent with the exception of the deafening "click" of the door's lock engaging.

"Naruto?" Hiruzen began, his face deceptively blank. "Is there something wrong?"

The addressed blonde only shrugged before looking thoughtfully out the window. "I wonder if it will rain soon."

Immediately, the familiar feeling of chakra washed over Naruto, notifying her of the privacy seal's activation. She discarded her nonchalant demeanor and instead opted for a look of reticence, mirrored by her grandfather-figure's own. "I need you to give me—give Fuuko—a separate mission."

Hiruzen frowned faintly. "What happens in Wave? "

"Nothing much, but we can avoid the unnecessary loss of lives if you give Fuuko a specific mission: the capture and detainment of Gato."

"Gato?" The elderly Hokage questioned as he lifted a graying eyebrow. "The founder of Gato Company? What is the reason behind this?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes, that Gato. He is the man responsible for the death of a dear friend's father-figure, and the cause of my teammate's near-death experience." '… By extension,' she added silently.

Hiruzen's eyes flashed dangerously. "Your teammate? How is this possible? Even if Haruno Sakura may not be the strongest of her year, she is still…"

"Not Sakura," Naruto interrupted the man's thoughts. "Sasuke. Gato sent two Chuunin ranked Shinobi after us, only to be followed by Momochi Zabuza and his apprentice."

If the man across from her was surprised, he did well to hide it. "… I see. I shall approve of this mission to capture Gato, but under one condition." Naruto straightened at the suddenly oppressive gaze she found herself under. "You will protect your teammates, no matter what. Do I make myself clear?" The blonde stared at him incredulously; did the Sandaime not think that she was planning on protecting her teammates anyway? He frowned. "…Whether you do it as Fuuko or as Naruto does not matter, though I would believe you would refrain from showing any true power in front of your teammates."

Naruto bowed from the waist. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

"None of that," she looked up to see Hiruzen shaking his head disapprovingly. "Go home and pack in preparation for your trip. Do what you must to ensure Gato's capture and your teammates' safety, I shall handle the…" He glanced to the mountain of papers beside him and gave a visible wince. "… Paperwork."

The blonde chuckled at her grandfather-figure's slouch. "Alright, Jijii. I'll see you after the mission."

* * *

When Naruto arrived at the meeting place at the designated time, she was shocked(though pleasantly surprised) to see her entire team, plus-one-Tazuna, there and already waiting.

"Naruto, you're late!" Naruto looked to Sakura, who, instead of her usual look of complete anger in promise of absolute pain, had a pout on her face instead.

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Uh… I'm pretty sure I'm just in time," she jerked her thumb at the copy-nin in a rather obvious fashion, "… and why is he here already? Is there a storm coming?"

"Maa, now that all of us are here, let's get going," Kakashi quickly supplied, seemingly not insulted at all. "… And for the record, Naruto, I _can_ be on time when I want to be." Never mind.

As they begun walking, Naruto fell in to step beside her sensei. "… You're almost always on time, it's just a matter of when you decide to show yourself." Her words were mumbled, but the recipient to them still heard.

Kakashi didn't get a chance to reply, as Naruto was suddenly beset by a pink menace(who, by the way, had veritable stars in her eyes for some reason). "Naruto! Do you have any injuries by chance? Cuts? Bruises?"

Naruto, knowing the likely answer as to why Sakura was asking if there were any injuries on her person, turned to Sasuke. "I don't. Why don't you ask Sasuke?"

Sakura pouted(again) and glanced to Sasuke, who was busy ignoring the whole exchange. "Sasuke-kun doesn't have any injuries, either."

With a sigh, Naruto closed her eyes and channeled her chakra to her palm, unrestrained. She relinquished her mental grip on the swelled energy which resulted in the skin to twist and bubble, before splitting and searing from the sudden release of raw chakra. Sakura and Tazuna both let out undignified squawks in surprise. "Naruto!? What are you—"

"Heal it," Naruto commanded.

To her surprise, as soon as her command left her lips Sakura acted on it with a look of utter concentration. Sakura was not squeamish or hesitant, but determined. Naruto smiled as the wound was healed almost instantly under the light-green healing chakra of her teammate.

"Hmm, it's good," Naruto commented, flexing her hand. "Very good. You've gotten much better at your Iryo-ninjutsu, Sakura." It was true. Healing abrasions and fire-inflicted burns were one thing, but burns and injuries caused by pure chakra were of a more delicate nature, especially when self-inflicted.

(If one wasn't careful, they would irreparably damage their tenketsu points in this manner.)

Naruto allowed her chakra to release again, this time around her upper arm. Sakura's eyes went wider than before, Tazuna grimaced, and even Sasuke seemed somewhat perturbed.

When the pinkette went to work on the wound, she sent a faint glare to Naruto. "I'm thankful that you're volunteering to be my practice for my technique, Naruto, but you shouldn't—"

Another burst of uncontrolled chakra, and Naruto only held her arm out to Sakura. "Heal it."

This time, Sakura only glared at the smirking blonde before getting to work.

* * *

The mission had been rather uneventful so far.

Naruto continued giving herself self-inflicted wounds, each one growing with creativity and difficulty. Sakura healed said wounds, having long since discarded her worry (Naruto was obviously unaffected by the situation, so the pinkette had begrudgingly accepted) and instead taking the non-stop wounds as a challenge. Sasuke remained his frigid self, but occasionally sent sidelong glances to his teammates. Tazuna had taken to ignoring the rather ample amount of blood that could be seen in the corner of his eye and decided to watch the scenery. Kakashi, as per the usual, was buried in his Icha Icha, but his frequent calculating glances in Naruto's direction were not missed by the blonde.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the small group there, Naruto's little game of cut-and-heal had a reason to it, and all of the wounds she inflicted to herself were ones that Sakura would need to know how to heal in a week.

Sadly, Naruto didn't have any senbon to imitate some of the injuries that Sasuke had sustained during the battle with Haku, but hopefully they wouldn't have to fight the boy. _Hopefully_, Fuuko's mission would be completed by then, therefore rendering Zabuza's own mission moot. Regardless, all of the major wounds that Naruto recalled her team having received were already healed by Sakura, so the girl was prepared in that regard.

Simultaneously, Naruto and Kakashi tensed. She measured her sensei, who seemed somewhat too focused on the new presence to notice her own reaction. It wasn't until they had walked a solid 20 meters ahead that Naruto saw it.

A puddle.

Naruto assessed their formation. In the front were Sasuke and Tazuna. In the back were Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi, though Sakura was a few paces ahead of the blonde. 'Not much of a formation,' Naruto thought with a hidden wince. 'But this will work.'

Slowly, she channeled her chakra to her feet and prepared her seal.

The blonde noticed the copy-nin's sudden spike in alertness as she stepped in the puddle, but he did not seem to realize that she had placed a seal on the two Shinobi.

The seal she had used was one she had designed just for them; a trap seal that was powered by the detainee's own chakra. It would release them once they were almost completely drained of chakra—a state that would leave them catatonic or likely in a coma for a solid three days after being released—so that any other passing teams could bring in the two ninja without any struggle. It was a rather simple seal, but Naruto couldn't add more functions to it, as seals created solely from chakra were innately delicate in nature. At least it got the job done.

When the group was about a quarter of a mile away from the trapped Chuunin, Kakashi finally relaxed, apparently convinced that no threats would be appearing out of puddles to assault the group. The team had bypassed a B-Ranked threat, courtesy of one Uzumaki Naruto.

And her teammates didn't even know.

* * *

It was evening when the group had settled and decided to take a break—and when Naruto realized something important. _Very_ important.

Last time, Kakashi had questioned Tazuna about the true rank of the mission(and the target), which ultimately led to the question: would Team Seven continue the mission, or would they bail because of the improper ranking given?

The fact that the first enemies encountered were Chuunin most likely helped solidify their ultimate decision. Sasuke had managed to take down the enemies with practiced ease, proving that the Team had some ability. It most likely boosted the boy's confidence, Sakura's confidence, and their sensei's belief in their team.

But what if the first missing-nin they'd encountered was Zabuza?

Naruto had no doubt that Kakashi would call off the mission right then and there. There was no way that real Genin would be able to take on the famed "Demon of the Mist," and Team Seven just wasn't ready for it in his eyes. Without knowing it, the blonde had erased a rather crucial part of the mission, even though she hadn't placed much importance to it. She removed an important factor of "boosted confidence" for her team, and now, she had to fix it.

With a sigh, she turned to look at Tazuna, who sat across from her on the other side of the meager fire.

"Hey, old man," Naruto began. "I have a question."

The addressed bridge builder scowled at the label. "What?"

From where she sat on the ground, Naruto rested her chin on her hand, propped up on her knee, and stared at the bridge builder. "Tell me the truth. This mission is ranked much higher than a normal C-Rank, isn't it?"

Tazuna immediately tensed, while Kakashi's eyes narrowed on the blonde. Naruto continued looking expectantly at the drunkard and lifted a golden eyebrow. "Well?"

"Uh, w-well, I don't know what you're talking about," the bridge builder chuckled out nervously before coughing into his fist. "You've got quite the imagination, kid."

Naruto's gaze hardened and she laced the air with minute killing intent, allowing the weight of the situation settle in the minds of everyone around. "Look, Tazuna. We need the truth." When the addressed man opened his mouth to stutter our a retort, Naruto silenced him with another burst of minor killing intent. "… I'm well informed, in case you didn't know. I know that Wave is isolated from the mainland due to the body of water between it. I also know that Gato has a monopoly in the trade business in and around Wave because of the fact that it's separated. The economy of Wave has been suffering ever since Gato sunk his claws into it, slowly draining the citizens of their money and rights. There is also the fact that you are a bridge builder, which is an awfully strange coincidence, don't you think?"

She paused as she watched Tazuna, who was clearly nervous. "Tell us the truth: is Gato after you or not?"

"I would like to know as well."

Everyone turned to Kakashi, who was leaning against a tree, an eye-smile in place. Naruto didn't miss the quick glance that all but said, "we need to talk," and inwardly groaned. "What Naruto said is true, and earlier today, I couldn't help but notice that we were being tailed. Oddly enough, our pursuers never actually appeared like I had first thought, but the fact that they were there at all had me suspicious."

Tazuna glanced at each of the members of Team Seven, and seemed to make his decision at the stern gazes of each of them. He sighed and took a large swig of sake from his jug, no doubt to alleviate the tenseness of his nerves.

"Well, you see…"

* * *

Tazuna had given his spiel on the pressure that the citizens of Wave were feeling, and like last time, Team Seven had decided to continue on with the mission regardless of the sudden rank change(for which Tazuna was grateful). They had gone to turn in for the night, woken up early, and continued their trek to Wave. It was after their boat-ride that Kakashi finally decided to inquire on what was most likely weighing heavily on his mind.

"Sakura, Sasuke," he called out with a deceptively cheerful voice, "you two take the front. Tazuna will remain in the middle, and Naruto and I will guard the back."

Sakura replied with a boisterous, "hai sensei," while Sasuke merely gave a low "hn" in response. Naruto watched as everyone fell into their positions, but before she could so much as turn to Kakashi, the man spoke.

"What exactly did you do?"

Naruto raked a hand down her face, having expected this, but not without the hope that it wouldn't transpire. "… Kakashi-sensei, do we _have_ to do this _now_?"

"Naruto," Kakashi warned quietly, though he wasn't facing the blonde. "What is going on?"

The addressed blonde glanced at the profile of her sensei, who still refused to turn to look at her. Strange, considering Shinobi typically used their gaze to intimidate others to divulge pertinent information.

With a shrug, Naruto turned back to face the rest of the group and spoke in a casual tone. "Fuuko taught me Fuuinjutsu. I sensed a threat back there, so I made sure to seal 'em away."

Apparently, that hadn't been what Kakashi was expecting, because as soon as the words left her mouth the man whipped around to face her. He blinked. "What?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Uh… Fuuko taught me?"

Suddenly, the copy-nin stopped walking, and the blonde halted as soon as she noticed the movement(or sudden lack thereof). "… Kakashi-sensei?"

Inwardly, Naruto was trying to recall of her interactions with the man—as Fuuko _and_ Naruto. Was it really that shocking that they had a (supposed)mentorship? Well, Kakashi didn't actually look shocked, he looked more contemplative. But had it not been mentioned to him that Naruto was supposed to be a student of Fuuko's?

Apparently not.

"Hello-o," Naruto drawled, waving a hand in front of his only visible eye. "Anyone in there?"

Kakashi seemed to come out of whatever stupor he was in and blinked, lifting his eyes up from the ground to Naruto. "Ah, what is it, Naruto?"

"You died," she deadpanned, before spinning on her heel and continuing down the path. "Now Sakura, Sasuke, and the old man are ahead of us. We need to catch up."

"Hmm, so they are," Kakashi stated in a (sarcastic)solemn tone while nodding. He then turned to Naruto with an eye-smile. "Why don't we race to meet up with the rest?"

Naruto's brow furrowed. "Uh… what?" Kakashi? Asking someone to have a _contest_? Usually it was people challenging him, not the other way around, and especially not to one of his supposedly weaker _students_—

The blonde squawked in surprised when her sensei disappeared in a swirl of leaves. She began running down the path, preparing her own Shunshin while muttering minor swears under her breath.

'I don't know why someone as _virtuous_ as_ Guy_ would want to have a _cheater like Kakashi _as a _rival_,' she thought petulantly.

* * *

They were close. Very close.

The small group had reached a point where they were within a day's walk of Wave, and Naruto was nervous. It wasn't the normal kind of nervous by any stretch of the imagination, however.

She wasn't nervous about a potential threat, a new obstacle that might impede their goal, or anything to that effect like her teammates. No, the nervousness she was experiencing was similar to the feeling that one would feel while anticipating a friend's visit.

Only, said friend(s) was scheduled to die soon, and Naruto was the only one who could change the possible outcome.

Technically, the up-and-coming meeting would be the blonde's first encounter with a major death that she would attempt to change. She had met with Hiruzen as soon as she ha stepped into the past, but his death was still a ways off, not to happen for a while.

Meeting with Haku and Zabuza and changing their "fate." While Naruto didn't believe in fate, she knew that things could very well end up the same if she wasn't careful. Haku could still end up sacrificing his life for his mentor, throwing himself in the way of Kakashi's Chidori. Zabuza could still end up without his arms and single-handedly killing Gato before falling to his own wounds.

Despite her fears, however, Naruto found that her nervousness wasn't entirely out of fear of a possible repeat of the past. Underneath the layers of worry was another emotion, a feeling, that was steadily growing as she imagined encountering the two again.

Excitement.

A smile stretched across Naruto's face as she felt the two familiar chakra signatures flicker in the distance.

"Get down!" Kakashi pulled Tazuna to the ground as everyone else hit the dirt, barely missing the blade that whirled past their heads.

Zabuza leapt down on his blade, and introductions went as they had last time. Zabuza identified Kakashi, who in turn identified him. They started fighting, but not before Kakashi managed to yell at his students to stay back.

Naruto had to keep herself from moving and potentially doing something stupid, and the strain was causing her body to tremble. Not to mention, she was doing her best to keep herself from smiling, so the expression on her face was something of a constipated grimace. That thought really didn't help her barely restrained emotions.

"… Dobe," Sasuke called out from her side, his voice faintly weaker than usual. Naruto looked at the boy, who seemed a shade paler than usual. "Are you scared? You're trembling like an idiot."

Naruto gave her teammates a quick glance each, and noted that both were absolutely terrified. But why…? The faint feeling of killing intent she sensed in the air answered her question. '… Oh,' she thought dumbly, her nerves calming down somewhat. '… Wow. The first time around, this felt like trying to breathe oil and move around in mud. But this is so… Weak.'

Kurama hmph'd in her mind scape. **'I would hope so. If this was enough to reduce you to a quivering mess of piss and shattered nerves, I would off you myself.'**

The blonde rolled her eyes and returned her attention to her two teammates, placing a reassuring hand on a shoulder each. She then glanced over to the battle, which had moved to the nearby body of water.

"… N-Naruto," Sakura began, her voice timorous and unsteady. "Do y-you think Kakashi-s-sensei will win…?"

Naruto didn't answer, but tightened her grip on her teammates' shoulders. She had promised the Sandaime that she would protect her team, and that was exactly what she was going to do.

As Zabuza went through a familiar series of hand seals, Naruto's eyes widened and she turned to yell at Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei, you have to move! Now!"

She was a second too late. The copy-nin found himself trapped in a sphere of water, suspended above the surface of the lake, being held in place by a clone.

"Now," the real Zabuza turned to face the Genin of Team Seven and Tazuna. "It's time to kill the rest of you."

A quiet sob escaped from Sakura, and even Sasuke was rattled, though he had enough control to reach for a kunai. Naruto stood up and walked in front of her teammates and Tazuna, keeping them behind her in a protective manner.

"Run away! Zabuza is out of your league, you need to go and protect the client!" Kakashi's voice was strained with exhaustion and fear for his students. Sakura yelled out a shaky reply, to which the copy-nin barked another order. Their exchange was left ignored as Naruto stared at the famed demon of the mist standing in front of her.

"… Oh?" Zabuza questioned, swinging his sword to rest on his shoulder. "I'm impressed, brat. You don't seem to be very scared, considering who your opponent is."

Naruto scoffed to mask the slowly growing anticipation. "The 'demon of the mist' is what you're called, but I don't think you deserve that moniker."

The swordsman's eyes narrowed. "You've got guts, kid, but you're still just a Genin. I'd be more wary if I were you." He shifted into a stance in preparation to attack.

"Wait," Naruto called out, causing the man's eyebrow to twitch. "I have a question."

Zabuza just stared at the blonde for a few moments before snorting, and falling into a fit of laughter. Naruto could practically feel the incredulous gazes of her teammates, and even Kakashi seemed confused by the sudden shift in the air. "… Kid," Zabuza managed to speak through his laughter, "you're amusing and you've got balls, so y'know what, shoot."

The blonde tapped her chin. "… What do you think Shinobi are? Their purpose?"

The swordsman only raised a nonexistent eyebrow. "Shinobi are tools to be used by those with money and power. The more money, the stronger the Shinobi."

"But all Shinobi start off as humans. Tools, they can become, but emotions can't be disposed of entirely." She glanced at the tree she knew Haku observed the exchange from. "Can you really call something with emotions and a will a simple 'tool'?"

Abruptly, the missing-nin's humor evaporated and he stared blankly at Naruto. "… Another idealist, I see," he stated lowly. "Shinobi are tools, only to be used by those with—" He was unable to finish that thought.

Before anyone could even blink, Naruto Shunshin'd behind the man and delivered a heavily powered chakra-laden kick to the back of his head, causing him to go tumbling into the dirt a dozen yards away. Before his body skidded to a halt, Naruto leapt over him and grabbed his head before slamming it into the ground, causing a miniature crater to form from the impact.

'**That might've been over-doing it,'** Kurama drawled. **'Not only does the man have a likely concussion, but you just about ripped apart his pride.'**

The blonde relinquished her hold and shook her wrist, wincing slightly at the acute pain that the action caused. 'In the past, I've had to literally beat the shit out of people to get a point across. It worked before, so why change my methods? Besides, the faster we get this over with, the less injuries sustained in the long run—for all of us.' When she heard Kurama scoff(signaling the end of their brief conversation), she decided it was about time Haku came down to pick up his "master."

As Naruto predicted, as soon as she leaned down and reached for Zabuza's neck, Haku dropped in and swiftly lifted the unconscious man as though he weighed nothing.

The "hunter-nin" gave a small nod in acknowledgement. "Thank you for subduing this man for me. I have been after Momochi Zabuza's head for a while now."

Naruto shrugged as she turned to Kakashi, who had been freed from the water prison upon Zabuza's defeat. He walked over with a calm gait, but weariness and suspicion lingered in his eyes. The blonde was uncertain if the suspicion was towards her or Haku, however. "It's not problem. In fact, we appreciate that you are taking him off of our hands." Haku only nodded again in reply before he Shunshin'd away.

"U-um," a shaky voice called out, and Naruto turned slightly to see that Sakura had recovered somewhat. "Who was that?"

"A hunter-nin," Kakashi replied curtly. The blonde could hear the exhaustion that was present in his voice, even if the rest of the team didn't. "They are a faction within Kiri's ANBU that are tasked with the hunting and retrieval of their missing-nin."

Suddenly, he swayed and fell forward, but Naruto caught him just as he lost consciousness. Sakura yelled out in worried panic, and even Tazuna and Sasuke looked worried. "Don't worry, he's just suffering from minor chakra exhaustion," Naruto informed the group before turning to Tazuna. "We're almost to your house, correct?"

Tazuna blinked. "… Er, yeah. Within a day's travel distance by foot…"

"Then let's go, sensei will need some actual bed rest while he recovers." The blonde created two Kage Bunshin to help carry the Jounin, and just as the group was about to continue their trek Sasuke gripped Naruto's shoulder.

"Wait." When everyone stopped, he glanced to Sakura and Tazuna. "You guys continue. I have a question for Naruto."

"No, I'm staying!" Sakura shouted, surprisingly firm against the Uchiha's command. Sasuke only murmured a quiet "whatever" before turning back to Naruto, who had a feeling she knew what was on the boy's mind.

"How did you subdue Zabuza so easily?" Tazuna and Sakura only nodded in the background as Sasuke attempted to bore a hole into Naruto's forehead.

Her "feeling" was correct.

With a sigh, she batted Sasuke's hand off of her shoulder and looked pointedly down the path. "I'll tell you guys when Kakashi-sensei wakes up so I'm not wasting my breath." When Sakura looked about to protest, Naruto continued. "Our main objective is to escort Tazuna to Wave. We should also be prioritizing Kakashi-sensei's weakened state, as the four of us won't last long if another enemy decides to attack. We'll discuss this later."

It might've been the logic in her words or the tone she used, but the group seemed to understand. They continued on to Wave without another word.

* * *

When they finally arrived, Kakashi was quickly rushed to a guest room courtesy of Tsunami, and the Genin of Team Seven were shown their own room. Sakura looked both hesitant and excited(how she pulled that off, Naruto was unsure) while Sasuke just looked plain annoyed.

They had dinner, wherein Inari rushed in to say that they'd die, before promptly running out of the room to his own. All-in-all, it was a fairly normal evening, and things proceeded as they had the first time around.

After everyone had finished eating, Naruto retreated to her room to start working on the seals she needed in a couple days: her confinement seal and her healing seal.

The former worked similarly to a storage seal, which, as the name implied, had the function of storing items.

However, it also had key points where it was entirely different from a storage seal.

Storage seals were created for functionality and ease, so that Shinobi could use it in a calm environment or a battlefield alike. The way the actual seal worked was the Fuuinjutsu master created an open compression diagram to allow others to seal specific items—once those items were sealed, the kanji for whatever object was sealed would be displayed and act as the "lock" mechanism until chakra was channeled into it.

Naruto's confinement seal, while similar, couldn't use the same principles behind the storage seal and for good reason: the compression. Storage seals could seemingly "absorb" an object and release it in the exact same condition as it was before the sealing procedure. However, the process it went through was the sealing of "information." Non-sentient objects would be converted to the most basic of constructs in order to be sealed properly and essentially disappear, leaving no trace of the physical mass that should've been present. If she had used a similar concept with her confinement seal, she wouldn't be returning with Gato but a bloody mess of unidentifiable human chunks and hair.

The presence of a familiar chakra signature just outside of the room made the blonde pause for the briefest of moments. Naruto decided to simply ignore it.

However, when the door creaked open slightly and the bystander still remained outside, she sighed. "Sasuke," she felt his chakra flare up in surprise. "Are you going to come in or what? All three of us are sharing this room, there's no reason for you to hover around."

He seemed to hesitate, and with a roll of her eyes, Naruto went back to her seal. All she needed were a few more strokes to complete the diagram, and she'd be done. She had to admit, it wasn't her best work, but the point was for the prisoner trapped within to be kept alive. Comfort and leisure were about as needed as a kunai to the heart, and the blonde had no intention on making Gato feel even the slightest bit wanted in Konoha.

"What is that?"

Naruto twitched. Sasuke stood behind her, looking over her shoulder at her now-complete seal with a curious expression. He was fortunate that the blonde had forced her instinct down when he approached, because even if her body wasn't quite as trained as it had been in the future, her mind was still on constant alert when she wasn't in her mind scape or working on her seals.

"It's a seal," she stated plainly, not caring about the annoyed look the Uchiha gave her.

"That's obvious. I mean, what is it for?"

Not really knowing what else to say, Naruto shrugged as she rolled up the scroll, getting ready to work on her healing seal. "Practice."

* * *

Kakashi woke up sometime mid-morning when Sakura went in to check on him, and the girl had swiftly gone to alert her other teammates about their sensei's condition.

Naruto, in all honesty, was somewhat reluctant to see them. Because that would mean gathering in the room. Which would mean that everyone of importance that saw her abilities would be there. And would likely question her about it.

Regardless, she walked into the guest bedroom and saw Kakashi sitting on up on the side of his bed, Sakura fussing over some of his unhealed wounds, and Sasuke watching disinterestedly. The copy-nin glanced at Naruto before his attention was brought back to Sakura.

"You need to rest, Kakashi-sensei! You only just woke up, and you are still suffering from minor chakra exhaustion. Your left leg is also in poor condition, and you really shouldn't be putting any pressure on it!" The blonde released an inaudible giggle. It was always amusing to watch Sakura fuss over her injured teammates; she could go from a worried nanny to Tsunade's demon in the blink of an eye, and watching the reactions of her patients(which ranged from exasperated to downright scared) was always a good source of amusement.

… When you weren't being the one being healed, at least.

"I'm fine," Kakashi replied easily, patting the pinkette on the head in a gesture meant to convey "don't worry." His gaze slid to Naruto. "Besides, I think there is another thing we should be talking about right now."

The other two Genin sharply turned to Naruto, and she suddenly found herself under the scrutinizing gazes of three pairs of eyes. She scratched the back of her head.

"Naruto, how exactly did you manage to defeat Zabuza?" The blonde blinked. Kakashi's tone wasn't cold and oppressive like she had been expecting. Looking at the copy-nin, she couldn't tell if he truly was as relaxed as he seemed or was just using a very well-constructed facade. She glanced to her two teammates; they weren't quite as laid back as their sensei. Worry and panic were emotions displayed blatantly in Sakura's eyes, and Sasuke had that assessing look he gave to potential "obstacles."

She sighed. "… Kakashi-sensei, you had already weakened him, and his movements were much slower than they had been when he started off. In fact, I'd say he was about as slow as Sasuke when I managed to land a hit." Said boy only gave a slight eye twitch that let the other's know of his offense at the remark. "It also helps that I've been training with Fuuko."

Sasuke was quite obviously annoyed at the explanation, and Sakura seemed to protest as well. However, before the girl could say anything, Kakashi lifted his arm to stop her. The three Genin looked curiously at the copy-nin, who kept an eerily serious gaze on the blonde. "That aside, I have a question for you, Naruto." The addressed Genin raised an eyebrow as her two teammates sent her questioning looks. "Did you notice?"

Naruto's brow furrowed. 'Notice? Notice what?' There were many things that she could have "noticed." Maybe the fact that Kakashi didn't seem as worried about her ability as he likely should've been, or the fact that Wave was rather obviously in dire straits. Most likely, however, he was referring to…

"If you mean Zabuza and the _hunter-nin_, then yes, I did."

The man only nodded approvingly, letting Naruto know that she had guessed correctly.

"Huh? What about them?" Everyone turned to Sakura, who had a contemplative look on her face. "Zabuza is dead, right? And the hunter-nin came to take care of the body."

"Aa, but that's exactly the problem," Kakashi began before looking to Naruto with an eye-smile. "Would you care to explain, Naruto?"

She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath. "Not really, but fine." She turned to the pinkette. "Like Kakashi-sensei explained before, Hunter-nin are apart of Kirigakure's ANBU faction. What the boy we saw yesterday was wearing indicated as much, but there was a problem: the way hunter-nin almost always dispose of the body."

At their confused looks, Kakashi continued where Naruto left off. "Hunter-nin only need to bring back the head of the rogue ninja. They typically sever the head and leave the body, as it is unneeded."

Onyx and emerald eyes widened in realization. "… Zabuza is still alive," Sasuke stated quietly with a scowl.

"He might be," Kakashi corrected quickly. "It's too soon to make conjectures of that scale. But regardless, keep an eye out so we don't end up with any surprises." The room went silent as each person fell into their thoughts; Sakura and Sasuke wondering about Zabuza, Naruto thinking about a way to save the two missing-nin, and Kakashi observing his students.

A loud, single clap made everyone turn back to the Jounin, who had a faux-gleeful look on his face. "With that in mind, we will be continuing your training!"

Naruto noted with amusement that Sasuke's eyes took on a particular sparkle at the mention of "training" as Sakura scowled. "You're not healed yet, though, sensei! You need to stay here and take it easy."

The copy-nin waved a hand in the air dismissively. "Maa, I will be, I just need to get you guys started." He looked pointedly at Sakura. "I could use crutches, but I don't see any..."

With a slight pout, Sakura exited the room to retrieve the requested item while Sasuke looked at their sensei expectantly. "What will we be learning?"

Kakashi turned lazily to face his only male student, a serious look in place. He spoke in a dramatic and foreboding tone. "You'll see, Sasuke."

Naruto rolled her eyes.

* * *

After Sakura came back with the crutches, Team Seven made their way over to the forest, where Kakashi began explaining what they were to do. Honestly, what with the fact that both Naruto and Sakura already knew how to tree-walk, she wondered how things would go this time around. Worst case scenario, Sasuke would end up having a fit about the fact that the "dead last" and a "girl" learned the technique before he did.

"Well then," Kakashi stated with faux cheer as he eye-smiled down at his three Genin. "What you three are going to do is attempt to climb trees."

He received one single incredulous stare, one alight with realization, and one with a bored look. "… We're going to _climb trees_?" Sasuke questioned, eyes narrowed.

"Yep," The copy-nin replied in a tone indicating that he was serious. He then peered over to Sakura and Naruto. "Perhaps one of you would like to demonstrate exactly what I mean?"

Sakura's hand shot up immediately, obviously excited with the prospect of showing off what she learned. "I'll demonstrate, sensei!" He merely nodded and stepped back, watching as Sakura walked up to a tree and tested her chakra's grip. Sasuke still held his incredulous stare, up until the point where Sakura began _walking_ up the three.

When she reached the top, she glanced at Sasuke's surprised look and giggled before turning to Naruto, sending the blonde a grin of success. Naruto smirked in response.

"That, is what you will be doing, Sasuke." The addressed raven-haired boy turned to Kakashi, who had a bland look on his face.

Sasuke scowled before glancing at Naruto, who raised an eyebrow. "What about… Naruto?"

"Hmm… What _about_ Naruto?" Kakashi turned to the blonde with a curious look. "If I'm correct, you were the one who taught Sakura how to tree-walk, right, Naruto?"

Cue the metaphorical jaw-drop of the Uchiha survivor. Naruto only shrugged, but a small smile betrayed her. "Sakura is a fast learner and a hard worker."

Kakashi nodded, and for the first time in a while, he gave a true smile(though it was still concealed). The look was gone almost immediately, however, and he turned to the pinkette. "You'll stay in town and guard Tazuna while I'm resting." He turned back to Naruto and Sasuke. "You two will work on tree-climbing. Naruto, since you taught Sakura, you should help Sasuke so he can grasp the concept sooner."

He only received two nods, and shrugged at Sasuke's lack of response. "Well then… Good luck, and I'll see you guys later." He disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Sakura waved goodbye to her two "male" teammates as she walked in the direction of the town, and once her silhouette disappeared into the trees, Naruto turned to her temporary student.

"So, what do you know about tree-climbing and chakra adhesion?"

Sasuke spared her a cold look before running up a tree—and failing.

Naruto sighed as she went to lean against another tree to observe the boy, arms crossed and face blank. She would have to wait for when he tired himself out and realized that he actually _did_ need help if he wanted to progress. Instead of doing it herself, she figured she'd let gravity beat some sense into the boy; she could occupy her time doing other things.

'Kurama?' She mentally prodded the fox, trying to gauge his mood.

When a minute of mental poking and prodding turned up no reply, she decided to simply settle into her own thoughts. Kurama's active presence in her mind seemed to be dwindling as of late, and he would remain silent for long periods of time—sometimes only a handful of hours, and sometimes days. Her seal was stable, she knew that much, but the amount of time the fox spent in his connection with the other Bijuu was worrying. For the life of her, Naruto couldn't think of anything that could take days of discussion… Unless it was something of immense importance.

The strange thing was that, on more than one occasion, Kurama had said that he wasn't replying because he was handling something that didn't have to do with the other Bijuu. Honestly, it made her wonder exactly how much freedom the fox had, because technically speaking even though she had loosened the fox's seal, he still couldn't leave her without her knowing. It wasn't suspicion, but she honestly wondered what the fox was doing if it wasn't sleeping, talking to her, or talking to his brothers.

A pained grunt lead Naruto out of her thoughts, and she looked at her stubborn teammate who seemed to have suddenly gotten multitudes of bruises almost miraculously.

It was strange. Sasuke was always the type to put power and pride first, but she could never figure out the exact pattern. The Uchiha would've never listened to her before(and he obviously wasn't intending on doing so any time soon), even if she had shown some ability and power. He was always like that; he looked down on those he thought were weak, but still took whatever path he needed to grow stronger. In no way was he fond of Orochimaru, but he was able to swallow his pride and put the goal of "strength" first, leading up to his tutelage under the snake Sannin.

Perhaps it was that. He was an individual strongly affected by first impressions, and once he labeled someone in his mind, it was difficult to change said label. His pride refuted the possibility of being "wrong," no matter what. Orochimaru always came off as a dangerous yet powerful individual in the duration of time that Sasuke knew him, whereas Sasuke had seen Naruto during her "weaker" years. That was in part the reason why the blonde had never intended on being Sasuke's teacher as herself but as Fuuko, who not only had the Namikaze name but the air of mystery and obvious power. But she was still hesitant about formally teaching the boy, for reasons she wasn't too sure of yet. That didn't mean that she wouldn't try to help him as Naruto, however; they were teammates and even though the bond they once shared was gone, she still felt him important enough to look out for.

The blonde glanced to the tree, noting the multiple indentations in the bark. She uncrossed her arms and walked up to Sasuke before placing a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to stop. He jerked at the sudden touch and whirled around to face her, most likely because he had not detected her shift.

His eyes narrowed in irritation. "What?"

"You're doing it wrong," Naruto stated plainly.

"I don't need your help, I'll get it eventuall—"

"_Eventually_ isn't enough, Sasuke, and if I were to tell you about something _else_ that could be done eventually, I think you'd reply with a similar statement," the blonde deadpanned. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, and before he could regain his bearings, she continued with a stern tone. "Now, I'm here to help you, but I'm not going to waste my breath trying to teach someone who insists on shutting me out. Make your decision, because there are other things I could be doing with my time."

Her words could've been construed as impatient and angry, but she wasn't. It was true that she had other, more important things that she could be using her time for. Certainly she cared for Sasuke, for her team, but if they weren't dying then there was no need for her to mother-hen any of them. She was glad to teach Sakura and help Sasuke, but it was pointless if her words were left unheeded.

Sasuke only stared at her for a few moments as she returned the look with a searching gaze, and then he turned away to continue with his fruitless effort without another word. Naruto felt a small pang of anger and disappointment. "… So be it," she stated quietly, before going back to her tree. She occupied the rest of her time mentally prodding her unresponsive tenant.

* * *

It was dinnertime when the Team reconvened, and a tense silence pervaded in the room they all sat. Tazuna looked like he wished to say something, Sakura looked nervous, Kakashi was as bored-looking as ever, Sasuke was clearly annoyed, and Inari looked like he was having an inner war. Naruto thanked Tsunami as she set out the food.

"… You know, I've been meaning to ask something." Tazuna began, looking at Kakashi with a questioning gaze. "Why did you guys continue with the mission even after you found out the ranking was wrong? Why are you still helping?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as her hand paused, mid-motion of collecting food on her plate. Her gaze drifted to Inari, who tensed at the sudden break in silence.

Kakashi interlaced his fingers as he took on a thoughtful look. "… Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage. And under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive." He looked back to Tazuna with an eye-smile. "Those were the words of the first Hokage."

The blonde continued observing the young boy across from her, and felt unease at the sight of a single tear falling to the surface of the table.

"… Why?" Inari began, drawing all attention to him. "It's not worth it… It's pointless! Those are just pretty words and they mean nothing!" He lifted his head to glare at Naruto, who only raised an eyebrow. "All of this is just a waste of time! Gato is too powerful, and you'll never beat him, he'll only get more angry and take it out on the villagers! Giving up is all we can do, because the strong will always beat down the weak."

Naruto's eye twitched as she continued chewing her food, but she didn't break the stare that Inari held on her. "… That's why the weak work hard to become strong, Inari. People aren't born strong, they need to work up to that poi—"

"What do you understand!?" Inari cut her off, his voice steadily rising in volume. "You don't know anything about this country or our pain! You Shinobi don't know what it's like to be too weak to do anything, too weak to make a difference, because of your fancy Jutsu and stuff!"

Everyone remained silent as the young boy trembled with anger and raw emotion. Naruto felt no pity for the boy, however, only disappointment. The Inari she had come to know had already gone through this, and grew up to be a splendid young man. The boy before her, however? He was just a brat.

"It's pointless, and you'll just die a pointless death! No one can be a hero, and you aren't any different!" Inari's shoulders shook and he fought back the angry tears that lined his lower eyelids. "You'll just die and be forgotten, just like—! Just like—!"

Finally, Naruto had enough. She shoved her unfinished food to the side in slight disgust and spoke in a low tone, almost inaudible. "… Do you really believe that?"

Inari's anger wavered slightly at the unexpected question, before he regained his confidence and stared at Naruto with a scowl. "Y-yeah, obviously!"

Naruto stared at the boy with a blank face, though her eyes were cold and unforgiving. The boy flinched. "There is all sorts of pain in this world, Inari. People die everyday, and we all lose people that are precious to us. But we don't truly lose until we give up."

"That's… That's a lie!" Inari pointed an accusing finger at the blonde. "Like I said, you don't know anything—"

_SLAM._

Everyone at the table gave a slight flinch at the sudden movement.

Naruto was standing now, her eyes concealed by her bangs. "… It's up to us whether or not we continue on. Whether or not we decide to let our own fears cow us or fight against the odds. It takes a strong person to go against whatever 'fate,' and to continue growing stronger to protect those that are still alive." She glanced to Tazuna and Tsunami. "You still have people that you can protect, and yet you're acting like a spoiled brat. When are you going to step up and take on the responsibility that was given to you?"

"Yo-you don't—"

"Like I hell I don't understand," Naruto intoned unforgivingly. She didn't even need to raise her voice, there was no point in getting into a shouting match with the boy. "'You don't understand' this, 'you don't understand' that. Well guess what? Even if I didn't understand, there is one thing that I am certain of, and the fact that you would rather hide behind your past grievances instead of face them is proof enough." She gave a cold stare to the boy through her bangs, absently noting that he was trembling. "You're nothing but a coward."

The only warning she got about her leaking killing intent was a stern, "Naruto," from Kakashi and the worried look Sakura shot her.

The blonde sighed as she walked away from the table. She was tired and needed to collect her thoughts. "I'm not hungry."

After Naruto departed, she headed off to the clearing Sasuke had been training at and threw her jacket to the ground, feeling constricted. Barely holding back but not using chakra, she began taking out her frustration on the surrounding trees and earth.

It was annoying. Inari just refused to listen to her, and was being endlessly stubborn. As was her teammate; Sasuke and all of his useless pride were grating on her nerves. Sakura had gotten much better, but their start had been rocky at first as well. Naruto was just tired of children who didn't listen to her words, that were ignorant to the truth. She tried, and tried, but her words fell on deaf ears and no one turned to look at her, no one realized how she had changed. Despite how much she had shown them, they still saw the "dead-last dobe" and refused to listen to her. What she had to offer them was experience and knowledge that could change the future, and yet, they refused to just_listen_.

She frowned as her thoughts began to clear and the haze of irritation dissipated. In truth, what had her the most frustrated was the fact that she was actually acting similar and not even heeding her _own words_.

Why was she so angry? She had long since gotten over this annoying sense of inadequacy and hate that everyone gave her. She was no longer affected by the fact that everyone who looked at her saw an idiot, thought that was mostly because the time she came from no longer had those kinds of people, but citizens that looked up to her and revered her for her past, power, and (exaggerated)wisdom. Maybe it was her own mind conflicting with her current body's age. Maybe it was the result of her body's hormonal imbalance. Or maybe she was just being unreasonable and childish. She honestly didn't know, but it was grating on her nerves. The fact that Kurama was still absent—he would usually pop up around now and chastise her for her impulsive and impudent behaviour—didn't help at all.

With a sigh, Naruto stopped her relentless attacks on the innocent shrubbery and sat down with her legs crossed, preparing to meditate. What she needed the most was to calm down and focus on what was important.

She inhaled. 'Formulate a plan,' she thought quietly. She exhaled. 'Execute the plan.'

She was no longer sure about when she would encounter Haku, and when the battle at the bridge would take place. Her memory was hazy at best, but she was certain that she and Sasuke had completed their training by the time Inari had his little rant. That was in part the reason why she had been so attentive of the boy over dinner; things were changing already. Minute they may be, they were still changes, and that set her plans off-kilter. Either she was going to encounter Haku the following morning or afterwards, but whatever was the case, she couldn't take any chances. She would send a clone out, tonight, to subdue and capture Gato.

"… Naruto?"

The addressed blonde snapped out of her thoughts and turned to face the new presence, only to relax slightly at the sight of Sasuke. She raised an eyebrow at his wide-eyes and slightly open mouth. "That's my name. What did you need, Sasuke?"

Sasuke didn't move, and his eyes held a veritable storm of emotions; confusion being the most prominent. Something was obviously wrong, and Naruto's brow furrowed when she realized his gaze wasn't quite on her face. She followed his gaze and looked down, allowing a single expletive to escape as she realized what his problem was.

She had taken her jacket off before going on her little rampage. Naturally, she ended up sweating a bit due to strain and heated emotions. Though her chest was bound, it was fairly easy to see the feminine curve of her body what with the way the fishnet shirt clung to her from perspiration. Her eyes twitched as she recalled a certain conversation she had with her tenant about her gender; him saying that she should use her Chihenge and her saying that it was annoying and uncomfortable to use it all the time. She had won that argument, saying that she would never be stupid enough to slip and let someone find out.

The blonde looked back up to Sasuke with a bland look, and scowled at the way he suddenly turned away as though embarrassed. Inwardly, she was glad Kurama was away on his little vacation, otherwise her thoughts would've most likely been swimming with the rather choice words the fox would have for her. Choice words that she had for herself, too, in a way.

The clearing was silent with the exception of a single word that Naruto repeated in a blatantly irritated tone.

"… Fuck."

* * *

Sakura sat stock still, not quite sure what to do.

Not long after Naruto had left, Sasuke went after him, a decidedly guilty look on his face. At least, it seemed guilty, but Sakura was still trying to figure out if she had imagined that. Uchiha Sasuke _never_ looked guilty, because he never did something that would warrant it. He was too _perfect_… And had a bit of a pride problem, Sakura had to admit. But mostly perfect.

Kakashi had pulled Inari aside and told him about Naruto's past, about how he apparently lived as an orphan and pariah of his village. In truth, this surprised Sakura, and left her feeling more than a little horrified. She had always known that Naruto was treated a little _differently_; she would often see parents telling their children to avoid him, and even her own parents told her to ignore the boy when she was younger. But a pariah of the village? Honestly, the pinkette probably wouldn't have been affected if Naruto was still the same, but… In the past month that Sakura actually began to pay attention, to _see_ Naruto for who he really was, she realized that the supposed blonde idiot wasn't nearly as much of an idiot as people thought. She didn't know what spurred on the change, because she had never paid enough attention to him to realize exactly when the change had occurred. All she knew was that her teammate, tentative tutor, and possible friend, was someone that had helped her. Someone that had, apparently, had a rather rough past. Suddenly, all of Naruto's smiles and out-going behaviour made a little sense; they weren't just antics of an out-going and idiotic blonde knucklehead, but of someone trying to hide their pain in the most inconspicuous way possible. He was only trying to fit in.

At that point, Sakura had leveled a rather stern glare at the kid that was matched with Kakashi's own daunting one-eyed gaze. He continued saying that Naruto understood his pain more than anyone else, and that he agreed with the blonde. That those who are truly strong can fight against the odds and become heroes, while those who sit back and do nothing are cowards.

Inari had broken down in tears afterwards, and though Sakura and Tsunami tried to comfort him, he only shouted vehement words of "I'm NOT a COWARD" and "I DON'T need to be CODDLED" before storming off to his room, Tsunami in tow. Sakura did feel slightly sorry for the boy, but she had to agree with Naruto: he was a brat.

So there sat three people in an awkward silence; Tazuna, Sakura, and Kakashi.

The table shook slightly and Sakura frowned. Strange tremors had been going through the house not long after Naruto had left, and she wondered if she should go after the blonde as well. As she stood up to leave, Kakashi halted her without lifting his gaze from his book.

"Just leave them be, Sakura. They'll be fine."

Maybe it was the tone her sensei used, or maybe it was because she now saw Naruto with a clearer, less biased vision than before. She saw his strength. Regardless, with a last look at the door, she sat back down to resume her unfinished meal.

* * *

Naruto's eye twitched as she stared at the curiously-styled hair of her teammate. She cleared her throat. He didn't turn around.

She coughed into her hand, a little louder. He only flinched slightly.

With a sigh, she grabbed a small pebble and hurled it at the boy's head, and it landed right in the center of his gravity-defying tufts of hair. In response, he turned around with an annoyed look while rubbing the spot the stone had connected, his face seemingly a shade darker than usual(though it could've just been the darkness playing tricks on her).

Naruto motioned to the ground in front of her, hoping for him to move and sit down. He remained where he stood, and Naruto pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "… You always _were_ a stone face, but now I wonder how literal you intend on taking that description."

That seemed to motivate him, because with a slight scowl, he _finally deigned_ to walk over and begrudgingly plopped down in front of her. He eyed her suspiciously, and the blonde decided to humor him. "… Is that a henge?"

"No, it's not," Naruto replied plainly. "I'm a girl."

Silence.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "… Are you really Naruto?"

She couldn't help it. A hand flew to her mouth as she tried her best to restrain the giggles that threatened to escape, and the steadily growing irritation displayed on her teammate's face only made it worse. "Y-you… You think I'm… You think I'm not Naruto…?" Her laughter slowly receded to small snickers and eventually, a simple smile. By the time she stopped, Sasuke was aiming at her his fiercest glare.

"… A year ago, you suddenly changed," Sasuke began, his voice strained with irritation. "It would make sense. Either you're not Naruto, or something major happened."

The humor Naruto felt died as she took on a thoughtful look. She had to admit, he was more attentive than she gave him credit for. "… Well, I'm a girl, and I've _always_ been a girl. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, as it always has been."

The raven-haired boy stared at her with a look that couldn't be placed, and she had to admit that it unnerved her slightly. It wasn't unlike the look Orochimaru gave potential test subjects, and that thought sent a chill up her spine.

"… You never acted like a girl though," Sasuke finally blurted out.

Naruto's nervousness disappeared immediately, and she stared at him incredulously as he averted his eyes and covered his mouth with a hand, almost in disbelief that he said that. She could swear she saw him wince as soon as the words were spoken.

She let out a laugh, partly because of her friend's lack of tact(and realization of such) and partly because of the question itself. "That was… kinda the point," she managed through her amusement when she saw the boy's heated glare. "Honestly, this is not how I envisioned me letting you guys know that I'm a girl. I'd rather that Sakura and Kakashi-sensei are kept out of this secret for now if you don't mind." She wiped the humor from her face and stared at the boy before her with a serious gaze. "Understand?"

The Uchiha gave a half-hearted nod before asking another question. The blonde realized that he probably wouldn't have told anyone even if she hadn't warned him anyway; he wasn't exactly the type to go around gossiping for the hell of it. "Why did you pretend to be a guy?"

Naruto was slightly surprised at how well Sasuke was taking the information. She was certain that he would've gone on a rampage upon finding out that his rival was a girl… Or maybe he didn't consider her one yet? She deflated slightly before righting herself. It wasn't as if that would be enough to stop her from re-establishing their rivalry. She had done it before against all odds, she could do it again. Recalling his question, she gave a light shrug. "Life is just easier as a guy in some cases. For instance, would you have allowed me to be your friend if you knew from the get go that I was a girl? Wouldn't you think I was one of your mindless harpy-fangirls?"

Sasuke had opened his mouth to speak, but promptly closed it after her last statement. He couldn't refute her words, and Naruto knew it.

The blonde scratched the back of her head, moving to another topic. "But anyway… Why are you out here?" She quickly added, "I'm not apologizing to Inari, if that's what you were sent out here for."

Sasuke snorted. "No, I'm not here for that. I actually…" He frowned, seemingly fighting an internal battle. His eye twitched as he finally seemed to find his voice. "… I wanted to ask for help with the tree-walking exercise."

Naruto blinked. Had she heard him wrong? "… Uh… Sorry?"

The raven-haired boy rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, speaking a little louder this time. "Help me with the tree-walking exercise."

When realization hit that Sasuke probably _had_ taken her earlier words to heart, Naruto gave a devious grin. She grabbed her jacket before standing up to dust herself off, giving her teammate a superior look. "Sorry, I don't help pompous pricks with attitude problems." She cocked her head to the side innocently as Sasuke's eye twitched. "Maybe you're missing a word in the request… You know, the _magic_ word." She laughed at the obviously disgruntled look he shot her, and pranced around the clearing to stretch out her muscles. She wasn't actually expecting Sasuke to plead for her to help him, and she looked for a tree for him to work on.

Sasuke stood up and stared determinedly at the blonde, his hands clenched tightly. "… Please."

Naruto promptly halted her movements and stared at the boy, slack-jawed. She knew she didn't hear him wrong, and the clear uncertainty in his eyes only confirmed the word he had just spoken. "… You know, you didn't actually have to say please, I was just teasing you."

A furious red spread across his face as realization dawned on him, and Naruto promptly fell into a bout of laughter.

* * *

It was late into the night when Sasuke had finally mastered the tree-walking exercise. He was looking worse for the wear, and Naruto was really no better.

That was mostly because of their impromptu sparring that she had goaded the boy into.

After her real gender was divulged, she could practically feel the uncertainty rolling off of her teammate, and it left her more than slightly bothered. His reaction was precisely the reason why she wanted to keep her gender a secret until she revealed her true level of power(or at least half of it) so she could prevent any judgement made based on the fact that she was a girl. It took a while, but with enough prodding and poking, Sasuke had finally retaliated and they ended up sparring—more like brawling. By the time Sasuke had mastered the tree-walking exercise, Naruto could tell that he fully understood that he was not to act different just because he suddenly knew that she was a girl, if he didn't want to chance angering her.

Though it was unexpected, the blonde had to concede it was nice to have someone else that knew about her real gender. Aside from her, the Sandaime, and Kurama, no one else had known and the weight of the many secrets she had were admittedly getting to her. To have Sasuke know as well—someone who she had once felt she could trust with all her secrets, someone who she saw as an extension of herself and a sibling through the pain they shared—it was actually rather refreshing and gave her a renewed sense of security.

She entertained the idea of telling Sakura and Kakashi, as well. She didn't want to make it a big deal, and it felt strange only having Sasuke know if she had to be honest. She wanted to show the rest of her team that she trusted them as well, and hoped to gain their trust in turn.

They were sitting across from each other—Naruto half-leaning/half-lying on the roots of a tree she was near, Sasuke was leaning to the side against another tree—when Sasuke spoke between labored breaths, interrupting her thoughts.

"… Oi, dobe."

Naruto opened a heavy eyelid to glance at him before giving up on the endeavor. "… What."

She could almost hear the raven-haired boy smirk. "… Thanks."

A small smile stretched across her lips as she sat up, ignoring the slight ache of her back from the strange position she had been in. She stood up and groaned at her popping joints.

Sasuke shifted to look at her. "Ready to go back?"

Naruto shook her head as she offered him a hand, which he (surprisingly)took without hesitation. The Uchiha raised a questioning eyebrow. "Is there more?"

She casually stuffed her hands into her pockets and met Sasuke's questioning gaze with a reticent one. "You go back without me, I'll catch up later." She didn't elaborate.

"… Why?" Sasuke looked her over briefly. "You're not really in any condition to wander around on your own."

The blonde gripped the scroll in her right pocket and gave a half-hearted smile. "I have a few things I need to take care of, first."

* * *

When Haku arrived after the sun broke the horizon, Naruto made absolutely certain to remain still and regulate her breathing to calm breaths.

She tensed ever so slightly when she felt the faintest bit of killing intent from the boy—had he tried to kill her the first time around?—but relaxed when she felt his hand drift from her neck to her shoulder to shake her awake.

"Hey," he called out in a quiet tone. "You shouldn't sleep out here like that. It's dangerous."

The blonde inwardly snorted as she pretended to rouse from slumber. 'Dangerous indeed,' she thought silently. 'Beware of missing-nin with deceptively innocent faces.' She blinked tiredly at the boy in front of her, keeping up the act that she had been asleep. "… Oh, hi."

Haku smiled. "What are you doing out here? You didn't sleep here the entire night, did you?"

Naruto smiled, recalling how the conversation went the first time. "I was training!"

"Are you a Shinobi?" Haku's question seemed innocent enough, and his brow furrowed prettily(way too pretty for a guy). "That headband, it's…"

"Yep, I'm a Shinobi," Naruto supplied happily, a foxy grin on her face. "And I'm training to become the strongest ever!"

Haku giggled, and the blonde stared at him curiously. This caused him to halt the action and stare at her somewhat nervously. "Er… Is something wrong…?"

Naruto laughed as she shook her head. "Nah, it's just that you're, like… _Really_ pretty for a guy, 'ttebayo." It was easy for her to fall back to her old speech habits in the presence of someone that she only knew as a child. She ignored the immediate tensing of the boy beside her. "By the way, what's your name? And what are you doing out here so early?"

A smile stretched across Haku's face, but Naruto could tell that it was strained. His muscles were coiled as though he was preparing to attack on cue. "Oh, I'm just out here gathering some herbs," he motioned to his basket. "It's for a friend of mine. He's injured."

"Oh! I have just the thing then!" Naruto exclaimed, reaching into her pocket with not-quite-forced glee. She shoved her scroll at Haku, who flinched minutely. "Here! This here is something that could heal him right up!"

Haku looked at it warily before placing his hand on it. "Er, thank you, I app—"

"Wait!" Naruto pulled back slightly, knowing that Haku wouldn't use it if she didn't demonstrate. She pulled out a kunai to slice across her hand, making sure to keep the motion as non-threatening as possible so as to avoid the already startled boy. She opened the scroll over her bleeding palm and activated the seal with a minute pulse of chakra, and when she removed the seal, the skin knit itself together almost immediately.

It was one of her easier seals. It used the same principle as the Shousen Jutsu, but it's power was stored in a seal… And it's creation required a lot of chakra. As in, Bijuu-and-Jinchuuriki-chakra-lot. Her own chakra was warm and healing, enough so to purge Kurama's cancerous chakra of most of it's poisonous properties. The seal only amplified that, creating pure chakra that reconstructed broken skin and healed wounds. Well, it only sped up the process, but in that regard it was much more efficient and far-reaching than the Shousen Jutsu. That technique itself was one that Naruto would never be able to use outright since she couldn't completely purge Kurama's chakra, and though her control was up there, the fact that she technically had three pools of chakra to draw from only complicated the process. If she wasn't careful, she could draw on the Six Paths Sage Chakra within herself and turn the subject into a stone statue… Or worse. She wasn't sure what that chakra would do to individuals that weren't trained for Sage chakra, and she really didn't care to find out. That was precisely the reason why she created her healing seal to begin with; it accommodated her immense chakra reserves and helped filter it to make it a useable resource.

"How…" Haku breathed, clearly surprised at the seal. He snatched it out of her hands, not really realizing the fact that he lost his "civilian" facade with the quick movement.

Naruto only grinned. "I made it! It has three uses total, and I just used one, but it should be good enough to heal your friend."

Haku still seemed to be enraptured by the scroll in his hands, so Naruto placed a tentative hand on his shoulder to gain his attention. When he turned to her with a shocked look, she leveled his wide-eyes with a serious look. "… Do you have a precious person?"

The boy's eyes only seemed to widen further, if that were possible. Suddenly, his face visibly relaxed and all tension from earlier seemed to dissipate, and he gave a true smile. "… Yes, yes I do. My friend, he's… He's my precious person."

"Protect him, then," Naruto intoned, silently wondering how she should word what she said in order to get through to the boy before her. "I… I may be a Shinobi, but in order to protect the people we love, we can't be simple tools without minds. Being a simple tool to the person you care for will be what kills them. You can't kill of your emotions and ability to think, because sometimes, the threat will come from the side you least expect it to." She looked up into chestnut orbs and gave a wry smile. "After all, when the master can't think or move, how is the tool supposed to protect him?"

Haku's eyes widened, and Naruto inwardly nodded. It was something that she had always wished she told the boy from the beginning. She always wondered if things would have gone differently, if Zabuza and Haku would have survived had she told him this truth. Shaking her head, she gave a concerned look. "By the way, how did your friend get injured? Is he going to be okay?"

The boy in front of her blinked. "Oh… Er, well, we actually encountered some hired mercenaries—"

"I knew it!" Naruto yelled, jumping to her feet. She watched as Haku's right arm twitched, as though missing the feeling of his favourite weapons. "It was Gato, wasn't it? He attacked you guys!"

Haku blinked. Again. "… Wha…"

"Gato is a real ass," Naruto pouted while crossing her arms. "I've heard things about him. Damn that fat bastard… I've heard he hires mercenaries to do his dirty work, and you know what else he does? As if it wasn't bad enough that he commits such terrible crimes, he then turns around and betrays his hired men, getting them killed." She turned around to hide the smirk that surfaced at seeing Haku's shock. "He especially does that with Shinobi—like me!—because apparently he thinks that there are too many of us and we're a threat. He's a real jerk, dattebayo!"

She turned around and watched as a thoughtful look overtook the surprise on Haku's face. The boy seemed to notice her staring and smiled. "… Well, I should be going. My friend isn't in critical condition, but…"

Naruto nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I get it. Maybe I'll see you again sometime, um…"

"Haku." He smiled at her and waited, seemingly waiting to hear her name.

The blonde jabbed a thumb at her chest and smiled widely. "Uzumaki Naruto. It was nice meeting you, Haku!"

* * *

Light footsteps accompanied by a faint sliding noise made minute sounds that seemed to echo through the empty corridors. Bodies were strewn about, bloodied and beaten, but not dead. Not yet.

In the sea of white, grays and black, golden hair stood out like sunshine through a rainy day.

The petit figure walked through a pair of foreboding doors and threw the baggage she dragged at the shaking figure in front of her.

"Y-you…" the stout man trembled, his glasses slipping as he broke out into a cold sweat. "I—I could pay you! Just spare me, and whatever price you name is yours!"

The golden-haired figure reached into her back-pouch and locked her gaze with the man's, allowing him to see her frigid stare. A malicious grin stretched across her lips, though it was concealed by her porcelain mask.

"I don't think so, Gato."

* * *

Naruto sat in her room, anxious.

Tazuna had gone off to work on the bridge, with the other members of Team Seven along with him. Though it was early, she knew the bridge fight was going to happen that day. She knew it for a fact.

After all, the only reason why Zabuza's attacks were halted the first time around was due to the fact that he was injured. However, this time around, Team Seven had Sakura(who had been looking after Kakashi, who was essentially in top condition now) and Naruto had given Haku her healing seal. All factors were taken care of, and her Fuuko clone was bound to show up with her mission completed soon. Typically, the blonde would have never taken her chances with this, but with careful consideration and strategic planning, she managed to create a plan that would complete her objectives without compromising the timeline and her ultimate objective.

There was a reason why she interfered with the events so much, however. It was something she realized about a day after her team had left Konoha and had been bothering her ever since: she wanted to go back. Oh, she was definitely excited to see Haku and Zabuza again and save them, but that slight feeling of homesickness nagged at her constantly. It was strange; she never felt this way whenever she left on missions as Fuuko. Perhaps it was the fact that some incarnation of her—be they a Kage Bunshin or Chikage Bunshin—was always present in Konoha. But this time, there was none, and the fear that Konoha was in danger was ever present.

Honestly, it made her feel like a mother in the oddest sense. If Konoha was not in her line of sight, she was constantly worrying about it and the residents that resided within. The fact that the damn warhawk Danzou was there while she wasn't_ really_ didn't help matters. At all.

So, it was until Naruto heard a shrill scream that she sat in her room. At the sound of distress, she immediately darted out to subdue the idiotic thugs and left them unconscious on the ground, having already expected them to arrive. She turned to Tsunami, sitting behind Inari who held his arms up in an attempt to protect his mother. The boy was blubbering and on the brink of tears at the sight of Naruto—

He charged at her and clung to her jacket, crying. He was no longer on the _brink_ of tears(his face was a veritable waterfall), and Naruto patted the boy on the back, trying to make her chakra as soothing as possible. Inari looked up at her with wide, tear-stained eyes, and she smiled down at him. "You did good, huh, kid?"

He choked back a sob. "I—I'm not—I'm not a cowa—"

Naruto relinquished the hold Inari had on her jacket and pat him on the shoulder, a serious look in place. "I know you aren't Inari. Only a hero would stand up against those thugs to protect your mother, after all."

She created two Kage Bunshin to guard the mother and son pair before disappearing in the direction of the bridge.

* * *

The masked nin in front of him stood completely still, but not without maintaining the air of danger.

The raven-haired boy glanced to his right, noting that Sakura was still standing in front of Tazuna. Both of them had looks of stricken horror on their faces, but Sakura also seemed more determined. The sharp resonating sounds of clashing metal made Sasuke glance to his left, where Kakashi and Zabuza were mere blurs of black and grays in the mist. His gaze turned back to his opponent, who remained calm and unmoving.

A cold bead of sweat dropped down Sasuke's cheek, and he smirked through the trembling of his body.

The first time, he had been scared and was unable to do anything. But now, it was time to fight back. The world suddenly cleared of it's dreary haze, and Sasuke found that he could _see_.

He blinked a few times through the sudden dryness his eyes were beset by, but his smirk only grew wider. "Finally," he whispered, before darting towards the masked nin.

The enemy immediately engaged him in a battle of speed and precision, and Sasuke begrudgingly had to admit that his opponent was strong. He had only landed a few blows, but in turn, while the enemy landed quite a few, the damage was minimal. The masked boy wasn't nearly as strong as Namikaze Fuuko.

Sasuke wove through a quick succession of seals before calling out, "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

He grinned at the missing-nin while he tried to bat away the flames that singed his sleeves.

For a few moments, neither moved. Then, the masked-nin gave a small nod. "… I see. It looks like you will be a challenge, after all."

Before Sasuke could bite back a retort, he grimaced at the sudden pain and tingling numbness he felt in his right arm. 'Senbon,' he thought bitterly as he looked at his riddled arm. Experimentally he moved his hand, only to watch it twitch minutely in response. '… Looks like Ninjutsu is out for a while.'

He eyed his enemy who now held his arms up, both with a cluster of senbon in each hand. The two were at a standstill, but Sasuke was the one with the disadvantage.

There was little he could actually do. The enemy was almost as fast as him, and he had senbon for long distance. Sasuke couldn't use his Ninjutsu, and he'd be speared with another flurry of senbon if he were to try to run forward and attack.

An idea came to him, and he stared down his opponent with an unflinching gaze.

Sharingan blazing, he ran up to the masked-nin while withdrawing a kunai from it's holster, resulting in a small "tsk" sound from said boy as he prepared to throw his senbon. "Foolish move. You don't—"

Sasuke smirked as his opponent stiffened immediately, halting his action. The Genjutsu was weak, but that split second of hesitation was all that Sasuke needed. He darted up to the enemy Shinobi and sliced upwards with his kunai before delivering a kick right in the boy's stomach, sending him skidding several meters away.

The enemy-nin clutched his left arm where the kunai's blade managed to cut through and draw blood, and slowly stood up from his slight hunch.

"I underestimated you. I suppose I should not hold back," he stated solemnly, causing Sasuke's eyes to narrow. A cold breeze drifted through and Sasuke had to repress the instinctive shiver. "Hijutsu: Makyou Hyoushou."

* * *

Naruto dove through the trees, honing in on the familiar chakra signatures of her teammates and the missing-nin pair. Though a few of the chakra signatures were clearly stressed and weakened, they were still alive. And that's what mattered.

When she entered the clearing, she created two Kage Bunshin to send them over to Sakura as her eyes zeroed in on a familiar dome of ice not too far away. She immediately noticed that her teammate was in the middle of the mirrors, beaten, bloody, and covered in senbon.

"Sasuke!" Naruto dashed over to the mirrors, barely stopping the almost automatic urge to bash the structure down with a well-placed Rasengan. Instead, she halted at the outside perimeter of the dome and took two calming breaths, inwardly wondering where her _damn clone_ was.

"Dobe, get away!" Azure eyes snapped up and locked with Sasuke's, red with a single tomoe swirling. He had activated his Sharingan. "He's too strong, you won't be able to handle him!"

Any worry and panic(however slight) that Naruto felt suddenly dissipated and was replaced with exasperation. She had to stall for time. How much exactly, she wasn't sure, but she had to stall for time while also making sure that her teammates—plus Haku and Zabuza—didn't die. She reached for a kunai and channeled her chakra into it before allowing it to clatter to the ground.

Then, she walked into the ice-construct.

"Wha—dobe, what the hell!?" Sasuke stormed up to where she stood at the edge of the dome and glared at her. "Did you even think? Now we're _both_ stuck in here, and there's nothing we can—"

She slapped him across the face to silence him. It worked, because he froze in that position, wide-eyed. Then, she grabbed his wrist and focused her senses on the marker that she had left right outside of the dome, and in a split second, the two Genin found themselves outside of the ice dome.

Sasuke gaped as he looked back and forth at where he previously stood and where he actually was. Even though Haku was wearing a mask, she was certain that the boy was gaping.

Naruto turned to face Haku, was slowly stepped out of his now-useless ice mirrors. "Your technique which supposedly cannot be bested has a major weakness," she drawled.

"… Not even fire worked," Sasuke retorted, apparently recovered enough to send the blonde an assessing glare. "How… How did you do that…?"

"Yes, I would like to know that as well," Haku commented stiffly, maybe a tad bit offended that the blonde had so easily beaten his prized technique.

Naruto suppressed an amused snort. Of course, everyone stops when something doesn't make sense and seems to have some level of power. "Your technique is not a Space-Time Ninjutsu technique, which governs space and the manipulation of such. Your prison stood no chance against me—"

An odd pulse-like sensation from her stomach made her halt her words.

Then, the pulse erupted into a sharp, almost blade-like pain, and she doubled over while clutching her stomach. She grit her teeth and her eyes were shut tight, and she tried to calm her chakra. The pain was so immense, it was almost like her chakra was ripping—tearing, shredding—at her from the inside out, and she had to bite down harshly on her tongue to keep from screaming out.

It felt like the time during the Fourth War when Kurama was ripped out of her seal.

'… **Kit…'**

The blonde's eyes snapped open as she flinched, but she grimaced immediately at the sudden movement. '… Kurama?' No reply. 'Kurama, answer me _right now_, where the _hell_have you been? And what the _fuck_ is going on!?'

He was shouting, but his voice almost sounded distant. She didn't know if it was because of the pain, or because something else was happening. **'… you… the others…'**

Suddenly, the pain spiked one last time, drawing out a small whimper from the blonde. It slowly ebbed away, however, and her senses returned to her. Slowly. Painfully, excruciatingly slowly. She could still sense the chakra of her teammates—Sasuke was beside her, confusion and slight worry could be read in his signature. Sakura was panicked, Kakashi was also worried but unable to divert his attention from his own battle.

The approach of a _familiar_ chakra signature caused her to smile triumphantly, and she stood up slowly to re-compose herself.

A hand was placed on her shoulder, and she glanced to the person beside her. "Naruto," Sasuke intoned, though she was surprised to find the smallest hint of worry written on the boy's face. "What happened."

She bat his hand off of her shoulder and shrugged, smiling through the steadily dissipating pain.

"If you are done," the voice caused both of the Genin to turn towards Haku, who had apparently refrained from making a move throughout the entire event. "Then I think it's about time we finished this."

'Kurama?' Naruto mentally prodded the fox. No reply came.

She sighed, shaking out her limbs and turning a smile to Haku. "You're right, I think it's time to end this."

A blur of gold and black landed in the middle of the battlefield, releasing a potent wave of pure chakra. Everyone turned to the newcomer with looks of awe, surprise, and relief. All but Naruto, at least, who merely tsk'd in an annoyed fashion as she half-glared, half-smiled at the new arrival.

'About time. About _damn _time.'

* * *

**A/N****: At first, the cut off was supposed to be where Sasuke finds out her gender, but then I was all, "naaaah, that's a little too cruel." Besides, I don't know if I've said this before, but while Naruto's gender does end up playing a fairly large role, it isn't supposed to be that big of a deal right now and it's not necessarily for romantic purposes. People aren't going to find out the truth and be like, "Omg she's a girl!? Wow I totally didn't see that, and she's actually super pretty and I think I love her." etc.**


	12. The Importance of Secrets

**Rating****: T for language**

**A/N****: ****This… Ended up being a pretty "charged" chapter towards the end. Yikes. Beware the drama, for the drama-queen has descended. ._. Well, to be fair, drama _is_ a genre of this, so... *shrugs* Word count is ~11k.**

**Disclaimer****: Never.**

* * *

**The Importance of Secrets**

Everyone present stared at the new arrival, the blonde with the dragon mask.

Naruto watched dispassionately as Haku went to Zabuza's side, no doubt realizing that whoever the newcomer was, she was a viable threat.

The effect of stunned shock wore off, and movement resumed. Sakura's eyes darted between Fuuko and the two missing-nin. Sasuke stepped in front of Naruto almost automatically, earning him a raised eyebrow that he couldn't see. Kakashi made to move towards Fuuko, a questioning look on his face.

"… Fuuko, what are you—" He began, only to be ignored.

"You two, missing-nin of Kirigakure," Fuuko addressed the two, watching dispassionately as they tensed. "It is pointless to fight any longer. Gato has been disposed of."

All movement ceased again at the words.

After a few tense moment, a low growl emitted from Zabuza voiced his anger. "… What is that supposed to mean?" His hand tightened around the handle of his unwieldy sword.

Naruto Shunshin'd over to her clone, sufficiently startling all present with the exception of "Fuuko." "My Shishou," she began, purposely labeling her clone as such, "and I realized that Gato had planned on betraying you two. He was never planning on paying, and hoped that our opposing sides would wipe each other out."

A small silence fell before Haku spoke in a quiet tone. "You… You knew…" Zabuza looked at the young Hyouton user as the boy removed his mask, revealing his clear shock. "You knew that I was…?"

"Haku, what are you doing?" Zabuza hissed in a low tone.

Naruto offered the boy a warm smile as she ignored Zabuza's growing ire. "Yes, I did. And I didn't want two perfectly good Shinobi, especially not one who understood the concept of protecting that which is important, to die."

Haku's eyes widened, but Fuuko took a step forward before he could reply. "Now that your employer is dead, leave. There is no reason for you to continue, and the completion of this bridge will be no burden to you specifically." She released an ample amount of killing intent, underlining that while they were drained of chakra and with injuries, they were not only outnumbered but against an opponent who was powerful and in top condition. Haku's legs wavered underneath him, and Zabuza winced at the oppressive feeling before giving a small nod. Almost immediately, the air cleared and everyone gave a sigh of relief.

Fuuko tapped her mask contemplatively. "Hmm… I understand that you both live as independents, unbound to any village, but are you perhaps interested in becoming Konoha Shinobi?" Naruto could practically _feel_ the alarm Kakashi exuded at the mention, but kept her eyes trained on the missing-nin as her clone spoke. "Strength such as yours would be considered invaluable."

Zabuza scoffed. "Yes, we're independents, and we have no intention of being bound to another tainted village." His eyes narrowed. "We refuse." Haku looked uncertain, but Naruto knew that the boy would only follow Zabuza, his "master" and protector.

Fuuko only nodded in response. "Very well. Just remember that, as long as Uzumaki Naruto lives," she motioned to Naruto, "you will be accepted should you wish it. Perhaps we shall cross paths somewhere down the line."

The confusion Haku and Zabuza felt was nearly palpable, but before any could question what she meant, Naruto and her clone turned back to the rest of Team Seven plus Tazuna.

"Wait!" The two blondes halted and turned around, not having expected to be called for. Haku walked up to them with a smile(Zabuza in tow), but the duo still kept their distance. "I wanted to thank you, Uzumaki Naruto. If not for you… I am afraid to think on what could've happened. And…" His gaze shifted to Fuuko's masked face. "I would like to thank you as well…?"

Naruto glanced to her clone, who shook it's head. "My name is of no importance. I am an extension of this child, here, and I would appreciate it if you treated my hand in this as such."

Haku shook his head, his smile still in place. "As Naruto-san said, being a simple tool to the person you care for can end up being what kills them. Being a tool isn't what you are needed for."

Underneath the mask, Fuuko grimaced but refrained from commenting. Naruto was barely able to withhold her own grimace at the statement and shared a look with the clone, noting the pained look in her own eyes.

With a quick bow, Haku and Zabuza departed, and Naruto and Fuuko went to join Team Seven, and the "younger" blonde decided that she should attempt to speak with her tenant again.

She was feeling rather positive about the event, as she had successfully managed to capture Gato and save Zabuza and Haku from their deaths. She would've been elated had things gone as planned and her tenant responded, alleviating her worry.

However, when Naruto tried to contact Kurama, he didn't respond. And a dark, foreboding dread settled in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

Team Seven remained in Wave for about a week in order to help with the repairs. It was simple enough for Naruto to switch out with a Chikage Bunshin and henge as Fuuko while leaving said clone to make multiple others to work while she went and meditated in the forest. It was something that she felt she had to do, as it was the only way she could think of to try and contact Kurama.

In all honesty, she was worried.

No matter how much she meditated, no matter how often she visited her mind-scape, she couldn't contact the fox. Even worse, she couldn't detect his presence at all—only the barest hints of his lingering chakra that had ingrained itself into her own chakra networks after years of being his Jinchuuriki. That was precisely the odd thing, and also the only thing that kept the blonde calm about the entire situation.

She didn't know where Kurama was, she didn't know why she couldn't contact him, and she didn't know what was going on. But, she did know that there was no conceivable way for a Jichuuriki to survive the extraction of a Bijuu. Sure, if anyone, Naruto had the highest chances of surviving, what with her Uzumaki blood and Six Paths Sage Chakra(even though she couldn't use it yet), but she would at least be struggling with the sudden shift, the sudden-and-literal _ripping_ of Kurama's chakra from her pathways. All she had felt was a rather painful stomachache for all of a minute before she was fine and battle-ready once again.

It was these thought that kept her sane, kept her from hunting down Obito himself and asking, "where the FUCK is Kurama!?" while shaking him by his ridiculous Uchiha collar.

It was frustrating, it was worrying, and Fuuko—no, _Naruto_ didn't know what to do. Kurama was her most important pillar of strength at this time, he was her strongest pillar. He knew the full truth, and with him, she could be herself. He helped her try to organize her thoughts, and in turn, she spent time with him to alleviate the boredom that was prevalent to a Bijuu within a seal.

After another day of trying and failing to find her friend, Naruto sighed as she stood up to return to the town. They were supposed to go back to Konoha the next day, and Naruto was fine with that.

She really wanted to go home.

* * *

When Team Seven departed from Wave(Tazuna and Inari had been sure to give a proper send-off; the former happily informing Naruto of the name of his new bridge and the latter telling Naruto that she had to promise that she'd come back soon)everyone remained in an almost tense silence. "Fuuko," of course, was thinking about Kurama, and her Naruto-clone was no doubt stewing on the subject as well. Even if it was a clone, they still shared the same thoughts and personalities. It was a given that Fuuko's own negative mood would carry on over to her clone.

"Maa, what's with the depressed atmosphere, you two?" Fuuko blinked and turned to face the man who spoke, her action copied by her clone. They both stared at Kakashi questioningly. "Both of you seem a little down, all things considered."

"Naruto" only turned away, deciding to ignore the man, and Fuuko had to admit that she wanted to do the same. Well, what she really wanted to do was get back to Konoha and dissect her seal, stroke-by-stroke, layer by layer, to see if she could figure out exactly what the hell was going on.

"Alright bad subject, I understand." Fuuko blinked, again, and rubbed her temples in frustration. She had to focus. "Why don't you tell me why you're here instead, then, Fuuko-chan?"

Fuuko smiled wryly at the man, though he couldn't see the expression. "I had a mission."

Kakashi looked at her expectantly, but when she didn't elaborate, he continued his line of questioning. "Was it a mission to kill Gato?"

The blonde heard a gasp and a surprised grunt, and glanced to the two that made the noises. Sakura had her hands clasped over her mouth, and Sasuke was looking at her with rather wide eyes.

"… Maybe," she finally stated with a sigh.

A hand on her shoulder made her tense, but she identified it as Kakashi's own gloved hand and relaxed. When she looked up into his only visible eye, however, she noticed that he had a particularly serious look. "Was it your first kill?"

Fuuko stared at the man askance. "Uh… No." Her voice held no small amount of incredulity; she was a Jounin/ex-ANBU and Kakashi actually thought she hadn't had her first kill? Almost immediately after that thought, she sobered her reaction. 'No,' she thought silently. 'That isn't even real. I'm not really a Jounin, and I can't really say that I'm an ex-ANBU operative, either.' Because that was her cover story, and as per the usual, _that_ was something that happened in the Genjutsu. She shook her head and withdrew a scroll from her back pouch, revealing it to Team Seven. "… Because I didn't kill him."

"_I don't think so, Gato."_

_The man shoved his chair back. "GUARDS! ANYONE! If you come here and kill this harlot, I'll triple—no—QUADRUPLE your pay!"_

_Fuuko sauntered over and leaned against his desk, making the man squeak in fear and surprise. "Sorry, Gato. But at the moment, everyone else in this building is more or less…" she looked at her nails in a casual gesture. "… Indisposed."_

_Gato paled a deathly shade and fell to his knees. "P-please, please spare me! I'm serious, I could give you wealth, fame, fortune, food—!"_

_BAM._

_The stout man flinched at the sudden sound, and stared dumbly at the fresh parchment that now lay on his desk. "… W-wha—what is—"_

"_Sign it," the blonde intoned threateningly. "Sign it, or your life is forfeit."_

_He spluttered. "B-but I need one of my assistants to read it fi—"_

_Fuuko released enough killing intent to make Chuunin-level Shinobi freeze in fear and watched with disgust as the mousey man before her crumpled to the ground in a heap of sweat and piss. She spoke in a threatening tone that underlined her impatience. "Sign. It."_

Little did the fucker know, he signed a contract that would move all of his funds to be distributed to the citizens of Wave while also giving ownership of his little company to Konoha. The funds belonged to the citizens of Wave, and Hiruzen could do whatever he wanted with his knew shipping company.

"You didn't kill him?" Fuuko turned to Kakashi who had a look of evident confusion. "Why?"

Fuuko looked at the sky and hummed. "It wasn't my mission, that's why. To assassinate him, that is. He will suffer something much, much worse than death when we reach Konoha. T&amp;I will be _certain_ of that." She turned back to Kakashi and spoke in a malicious tone. "By the time they are done with him, he'll be _wishing_ that he was dead."

The blonde felt a familiar tingling in the back of her head and turned around, not noticing the slightly disturbed look Kakashi was gracing her with. Fuuko raised an eyebrow when she realized that the "tingling" was Sasuke's staring at her, something he had been doing for a while. "Why are you trying to burn a hole through my head, brat?"

When he turned away with a quiet grunt, Fuuko nearly rolled her eyes until she caught a light pink coloring the tips of the boy's ears. She almost laughed when she saw the narrowed eyes of Sakura, who was staring at Sasuke like he was an imposter.

It made her happy to see certain personality quirks in her teammates that were reminiscent to who they would become. It meant that she really was making a difference, and helping them grow. She saved Zabuza and Haku, captured Gato, managed to strengthen Team Seven's bonds, and if it wasn't for the foreboding feeling that replaced Kurama's absence, she would've been quite content.

Maybe she wasn't doing too badly, after all?

* * *

Fuuko let out an irritated groan.

She had been put on watch-duty in the late hours of the evening, and after a quick sweep of the area to check for potential threats, she settled into a calm state to try and contact Kurama again. She was no longer surprised that her inward searches for the great fox bore no fruit, and that fact alone was a source of her growing irritation and worry.

She shifted her mask to rub at her furrowed brow. Her emotions and distress were getting to her, and very soon, things would start kicking off. She couldn't afford to be in such a state for the Chuunin Exams, and she had to keep herself calm. She'd have some time to search for Kurama once she got to Konoha, she just had to wait. She was good at waiting. Kind of.

"Why do you wear that mask?"

Fuuko jolted as she quickly adjusted her mask and her eyes darted to find the source of the voice. She released a quiet sigh upon realizing who it was that spoke, both in relief and in exasperation at the boy's growing interest in the enigma known as "Namikaze Fuuko."

"Why are you still up, Sasuke." She was in no mood to deal with her teammate's suspicion and barrage of questions.

He grunted. "I'll sleep when you answer. I'm curious."

Fuuko tilted her head curiously. Sasuke was _curious_? And he admitted it? As far as she knew, Sasuke would never allude to the possibility of him being curious about something, let alone outright state that he was. She inwardly shrugged and decided she could stand to humor her raven-haired teammate. "It's not for any deep reason, if that's what you're wondering."

"Then why wear it?" Sasuke retorted immediately, an almost expectant gleam in his eyes. Or was that just the reflection of the dying campfire?

The blonde knew exactly why Sasuke was asking, and yes, it actually was curiosity. But it wasn't so much from wanting to hear the reason for why she wore the mask, so much as the interest in seeing her face.

'Should I?' She pondered her options. Sasuke had already been entrusted, though accidental, with the secret of Naruto's gender. That particular thought made the blonde think about her other teammates, Sakura and Kakashi. Perhaps she should tell them about Naruto's true gender, as well? About _her_ true gender? It didn't feel right, hiding the secret when Sasuke already knew. It'd be better if she revealed the truth on her own terms, anyway, instead of waiting until a mishap like the recent one occurred, wherein she would be stuck trying to explain to a most-likely pissed-off Sakura and a stressed Kakashi. She shook her head, bringing her thoughts to the topic at hand. "Fuuko" could gain Sasuke's trust if she showed him her face, perhaps giving the boy the illusion of having another ally to rely on. As such, making him feel less inclined to follow after Orochimaru, should events pan out similarly to last time.

Mind made up, she released the chakra bindings of her mask and slipped it off with ease, earning her a gasp from Sasuke(though, it oddly sounded like two). She rose a now-visible eyebrow at the Uchiha's look of surprise. "… What?" She finally asked, starting to feel somewhat self-conscious despite herself. "I'm pretty sure my face is pretty damn normal, I don't have something outlandish, last I checked."

She smirked when the raven-haired boy ducked his head in an attempt to hide the growing redness on his face. Even though he always acted aloof with an attitude of, "I don't care," he never _was_ able to deal with women, from what Naruto recalled.

Fuuko let out a small giggle, earning her a half-hearted glare from Sasuke. It always was fun teasing the boy; after the war, their relationship had improved drastically, where she could tease him and he would actually respond instead of dismiss her entirely.

The blonde turned her head and rested her chin in her hand as a grimace made it's way onto her face. Even though it was a… Genjutsu, things were still fun. She would never wish to be placed back in the false dream, but she had to admit that things were… Pleasant. And she was honestly quite happy, at the time, happy enough to "die" with a smile on her face.

'Am I happy now…?'

She forced her mind to go blank as she battled with the unease that rested in her stomach. 'Just wait until I get to Konoha,' she pleaded no one in particular. 'Just wait. That's all I ask.' She closed her eyes as she bit down on her finger to try and distract herself from her less-than-happy thoughts. She always had Kurama for these times; he would chide her and bark out demeaning terms. She knew, though, that it wasn't just him being annoying or nit-picking; he knew that acting kind or receptive of her problems would only make her feel worse. His cantankerous attitude, though half-hearted at times, only helped her reach a point of normalcy and feel more at ease, as though things were as they should've been.

Her canine broke through the skin of her ring finger and the metallic taste of blood made her wince. Thoughts of Kurama, of the past, the Genjutsu, all of that had to be shelved until she got to Konoha.

"… I thought about it." The new source of a distraction caused the blonde to snap out of her stupor and whirl around to face Sasuke again, who seemed too engrossed in his thoughts to notice the movement.

Fuuko, who was working to calm her heart and thoughts, cocked her head to the side. "Hm?"

"The power to protect," Sasuke clarified, looking up at the still-shaken blonde. "It's stupid, and these bonds are pointless." Fuuko let out a slightly timorous sigh as she refocused her mind, but before she was able to speak Sasuke continued. "… But maybe I need them right now. Maybe you're right to an extent."

His words left her pleasantly surprised, but she could only offer a smile that barely hid her inner conflict. Silence lapsed between them again, and Fuuko looked down at her hands, not noticing the assessing gaze Sasuke held on her.

"… me." Fuuko looked up at Sasuke with a curious look, indicating that she missed what he said. "Train me," he repeated, louder this time.

The blonde blinked, previous thoughts gone with the wind. She had been hoping to use her persona, "Fuuko," to keep Sasuke from running for Orochimaru's help. By all means, she should've been elated that her plan had progressed as planned, and in such a small amount of time. With this, she would have plenty of time to gain his trust and demonstrate that she was someone that could provide him with power without defecting from Konoha.

She _should've_ been. But now, she felt unsure, and she had a feeling that she had that annoying, foreboding feeling of unease to blame. She could still see that the boy before her was gripped with hatred. He would only be learning her techniques, and would fail to absorb the moral lessons accompanying them.

"Let me…" She finally began, swallowing once to abate the sudden dryness in her mouth. "… Let me think about it." Sasuke stared at her for a few moments before grunting. He settled back into his sleeping bag, as Fuuko's mind wandered back to her previous train of thought. The fact that Sasuke wouldn't truly be learning, but going through the motions mindlessly to accomplish his goal of killing Itachi.

In this regard, she was actually somewhat relieved for recent events. Would she have seen this glaring fact had she not been faced with the truth? Would she have realized that it was very likely that Sasuke would go down the same path? Of course, there was the exception of having a sensei that would give him a cursed hickey and pine after his body. Because of this, she wasn't certain she could blame Orochimaru for everything, despite how much she wished to. If she were to become his teacher, she would be risking being the very one to lead him further down the path of hatred, only making it that much more difficult to pull him from it. Sure she had given him pointers before, but actually training him was a different deal entirely. It didn't help that she was already feeling rather insecure without Kurama there; how could she guide Sasuke down the right path when she felt lost without being guided herself? For all of her power, experience, and knowledge, she felt frighteningly vulnerable. And that left her frustrated and angry, at herself, at her shortcomings, and her inability to do anything without hesitating.

What would she do?

"You're thinking awfully hard about something," a bored voice drawled. Fuuko sighed as Kakashi walked over to sit across from her, both of them facing the dying embers of the once-bright flame.

"Yes, thinking is sort of all I can do right now, what with there being no threats in the vicinity." Her reply wasn't supposed to come out as devoid as emotion as it did, more like a sarcastic retort, but Fuuko couldn't quite put her heart into it.

Kakashi scratched his head at the sudden silence that fell between them. "… You know, you should attend the Team Seven training sessions more often."

Fuuko only stared blankly at the sparse source of light. "Why?"

"You… You're a good motivator," the copy-nin began. "Sasuke actually talks, Sakura focuses more, and you're Naruto's relative."

Kakashi's eye slid to his left where Sasuke slept, and Fuuko realized that the boy was actually still awake. 'Not very inconspicuous there, Sasuke,' she thought amusedly. She sighed as she redirected her thoughts to what Kakashi had said. "I'm really not. I get too caught up in my thoughts sometimes, and the smallest change of plans can make my thought process halt entirely," she deadpanned. It wasn't entirely true; she was good at thinking on her feet in battle, and helping Team Seven wasn't something she was averse to. She had already taken it upon herself to start, anyway. Tonight just wasn't the best time to think about it, and she knew it. "I mean, look at me. If I have nothing to do other than sit around and watch the stars, my mind wanders to an unreachable plane."

Kakashi actually chuckled at this. "I could already tell you're not quite… Right, at the moment. I won't ask, because it's not my business and I have a feeling that you wouldn't tell me, anyway." He scratched his chin as the blonde continued to pin him with an unimpressed stare. "… We could use you at the team meets. It'd be nice to have you around, and… I really don't know what else to say to convince you."

Fuuko had to admit, it was flattering that the man was even trying this much to get her to say yes. With a shrug, she decided that it'd be no particular problem to her. "Sure."

Her response was an eye-smile that was typical of the copy-nin. "Good. Now go to sleep, it's my turn for lookout."

"… Oh," Fuuko replied, somewhat dumbstruck. She hadn't even realized that her three hours had already passed. She stood up and walked over to her own sleeping bag, but before she could get settled in, Kakashi called out to her.

"Also, I wouldn't exactly say that someone with the _rare_ combination of blonde hair and blue eyes can be considered… Normal," he quipped before delving into his book.

Belatedly, Fuuko realized that her mask was clipped to her belt and slapped a palm to her forehead before slipping the mask back on. She sunk into the cool material of her sleeping bag, shivering slightly at how cold it was to the touch, before the copy-nin's words registered in her mind.

'Rare?' She thought quietly. 'Blonde hair and blue eyes are also common in the Yama..na…'

Oh.

A faint faint smile spread across her face as she realized the man meant a very _specific_ shade of blonde and blue eyes.

* * *

"Team Seven, Namikaze Fuuko-san, the Hokage may see you now."

Kakashi gave a small nod as he walked past the secretary, the Genin of Team Seven and Fuuko following after him. The Sandaime and Fuuko briefly locked eyes before the former cleared his throat, ready to address the Team.

"Welcome back, Team Seven, Namikaze-san." His words were stated in an impersonal tone, clearly speaking as the Hokage at the moment and not as Fuuko/Naruto's benefactor. "Mission was successful, I hope?"

The copy-nin snapped his book shut immediately and tucked it away, straightening in posture slightly as he did so. "Yes, Hokage-sama. Team Seven, reporting in on a successful escort mission to Wave. Escort of Tazuna classed as C-Rank turned to B-Rank and then subsequently A-Rank upon the encounter of…"

As Kakashi summarized his report and told the Hokage about the events in Wave, Fuuko fell into her thoughts. She really,_ really_ needed to get out of there soon, so she could go home and focus on trying to locate Kurama. It had literally taken everything out of her to not simply Hiraishin everyone home, because then she would've needed to explain exactly how she knew the Hiraishin(she had no doubt that Kakashi would question her knowledge despite the cover story she knew he had been fed) and she didn't trust herself to not slip up while in such a frazzled state.

In all honesty, she didn't even know how she would go about searching for the chakra beast. Because technically speaking, she would've been dead—or at least severely weakened—if Kurama was no longer in the seal. How exactly was one supposed to go about finding something that never should've been able to leave in the first place, and most likely was still exactly where it was expected to be? All Naruto could think of was that Kurama's spirit and/or mind were absent or locked away, as that would've been the only logical explanation for why she was still breathing yet couldn't talk to the fox.

"Fuuko," the mention of the name jarred her out of her thoughts, and she blinked blearily up at the Hokage. "Your mission report?"

After a few moments of recollecting her thoughts and remembering that, yes, she was in the Hokage's office, the blonde tossed the scroll containing Gato over to the Hokage with a stern look. "Capture was successful. If I may make a suggestion, Gato should go to T&amp;I in the hopes of reforming him, and if that fails, he should be locked up for the rest of his life."

Hiruzen nodded as he placed the scroll to the side, a small scowl in place as he stared at the object.

A light cough caused all occupants of the room to turn to the copy-nin once again. "Can you take the others with you, Fuuko? Hokage-sama and I have a few things to talk about."

With shrug, Fuuko promptly began "herding" the Genin of Team Seven out of the building, allowing Kakashi and Hiruzen to speak about whatever it was that needed to be spoken of.

She had been planning to take her clone and depart as soon as they exited the building, but the not-so-surreptitious glances Sasuke kept sending both her and "Naruto," and the blatant staring her clone was pinning Sakura with reminded the blonde that there were a few loose ends that needed to be tied. At least, one of them. The second one she was still unsure of, and if she planned on divulging her secret, then Kakashi needed to be there as well. As it was, as soon as the rag-tag group exited the tower, Fuuko grabbed Sasuke from the shoulders to steer him in the opposite direction as she glanced to the remaining two.

"Naruto, Sakura, go home. Kakashi will most likely let you all have a couple days of rest, seeing as he and Sasuke will probably need to be admitted to the hospital." While her clone nodded in understanding, Sakura let out a worried squeak.

"H-hospital? I'l come with you guys!"

"No," Fuuko intoned, earning her confused looks from both Sakura and Sasuke. She turned to the raven-haired boy with a serious gaze. "Sasuke and I have something to talk about."

Realization flickered in the boy's eyes as he gave a small nod.

The pinkette played with the ends of her hair with an uncertain look. "But…"

"Just go, Sakura." She seemed somewhat dejected at the command from her crush, but complied anyway. The group dispersed, and Fuuko and Sasuke walked in silence on the way to the hospital.

After a few minutes, the blonde glanced over to the young Uchiha who seemed somewhat… Twitchy. She had no intention of being the one to start the conversation. She wanted to see just how far his determination ran, and how much of that determination was in a blind pursuit of Itachi's death. She wanted to know if Sasuke truly _was_ as consumed by vengeance as she feared him to be at this point, or if he had another goal, another driving force to live and _continue_ living.

"… Well?" It seemed her time for thinking had ended. She turned to the boy who had stopped walking and was now looking at her with an expectant half-glare. "You wanted us to be alone because you've made your decision, right? Are you going to train me or not?"

Fuuko bent over slightly so that they were eye level, and Sasuke's look of slight annoyance at the action would've been amusing to her had she not been searching for a spark of hope, anything, in his eyes. "… I have a test," she finally murmured while straightening. The mention of a test caused the Uchiha to stand ramrod straight. "If you pass, I'll train you. If you fail, I won't. It's as simple as that."

Sasuke grunted as a small smirk formed on his lips. "I'll definitely pass it. Which training grounds?"

To his confusion, the blonde only shook her head. "It isn't a test of strength or ability, Sasuke, but of the mind." She tapped the side of her head twice before folding her arms. "I'll ask you a few questions, and you'll only give honest answers." She paused, allowing the weight of the "test" to sink in. "… Understand?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, but Sasuke gave a hesitant nod nonetheless.

"Alright, good. First question…" She pinned the raven-haired boy with a cold stare, and from the way his frame went rigid, he caught it. "… What is the most important thing to you?"

He seemed to hesitate a moment before giving her a skeptical look, though an intense hatred burned behind his eyes. "To kill the man that wiped out my family."

The blonde gave a slow nod. "… I see." Another pause. "_Before_ the Uchiha Massacre, what was the most important thing to you?" When she saw the boy freeze completely, she pressed on "… Do you remember the happiness you used to have? At all?" He didn't answer. "Your happy memories? … The time you had with your family?"

Sasuke glared down at the ground, his hands clenching and unclenching in tight fists. "… I don't." The words were quiet, but said with a bitterness that a child shouldn't have.

Fuuko gave a light sigh as she tapped the top of his head, causing him to look up at her. "Sasuke, power is derived from drive, whether it is for vengeance or the will to protect. Usually, it's both, and they balance each other out." She held her hands out like a measuring scale. "Two sides of the same coin, both contributing to the same cause. You need an anchor of some sort, whether it is your happy memories or new bonds with your friends. At the moment, you are going in whatever direction your hatred leads you, and you are blind." The blonde placed a hand on the raven's shoulder, making sure to lock her gaze with his. "… _That _is what will be your downfall, Sasuke… and you won't even see it coming when your life falls short because of it."

She closed her eyes and lifted her hand away, spinning on her heel as she did so. She had her answer. "I will not train you if you cannot see even that much."

* * *

Naruto had hurried home and dispelled her henge as she noticed that her clone finally dispelled.

She had rushed somewhat, trying to get out of the Hokage tower as soon as possible and cutting her time with Sasuke short. She could only hope that her teammate would understand her words and not take "Fuuko's" abruptness the wrong way.

Whatever was the case, as soon as she reached her home she plopped down onto the floor and began to meditate. She had been determined to get home and do so, because it was in all honesty her only hope. As she had acknowledged earlier, she had no idea how to go about finding her tenant, and it was with some nostalgic, memory-involved hope that her being home in Konoha would change the fox's lack of response.

When her eyes opened again, she was in the familiar and rather dreary setting within the seal, knee-deep in water and standing in front of the foreboding bars that held Kurama at bay.

Only, he wasn't there.

Naruto walked up to the cage and peered within, looking for the shifting shadows that would indicated the fox's presence. However, nothing moved, and even the water was completely still with the exception of the slight ripples caused by her minute movement.

"… Oi, Kurama, you aren't going to get mad at me?" She began in a weak tone, a sad attempt at humor. "I… My gender was found out, y'know. A secret was revealed. And the funny thing?" She chuckled before fisting her hands in her hair, the stress of the situation finally getting to her. "I'm thinking of telling Sakura and Kakashi-sensei, too. I just… I don't think I can do this alone anymore, y'know?"

No response.

"Ha… You're supposed to say, 'you're not alone' in response, you dumb fox." She stared expectantly into the darkness, and again, received no response. "… Kurama…"

Silence.

With a snarl, she slammed her fists against the pillars, glaring into the thick darkness that lay before her. "_Damn_ it Kurama! Give me a sign, _something_, that you're still _there_! Stop it with this _bullshit_, why can't you tell me anything!? We were supposed to be partners, and yet, you kept your secrets from me, and now you're _gone_ because of it!" Her fists tightened to the point that her nails dug into the sensitive flesh of her palm, drawing the faintest amount of blood.

She felt her past inhibitions break, and she suddenly felt like she was her physical age. Knowledge, power, and ability of a Hokage be _damned_, she felt so damn weak and useless. But she couldn't, she couldn't just…

"I… I can't do this alone, and you know that! My power has always been derived from the people I cared about, the people I trusted! I _can't_—" she choked back a sob and grit her teeth, unwilling to break down _now_ of all times. She couldn't afford to be weak, especially not now when the _lives_ of many were on _her shoulders_. Her head hung low, facing the water as she collapsed to her knees, her voice strained and unsteady. "Just… Just answer me, damn it…"

Only the sound of her breathing and the shifts of water entered her ears. She took these spare moments to calm herself and shove away the emotions that threatened to bubble forth and overtake her.

"… To hell with it," she finally growled, her patience gone. "To fucking-HELL with it!" She was going to tell them, she _had_ to. All of these secrets, Fuuko, her gender, her past, the Genjutsu, the future, _everything_, it was all piling up, and it was getting to the point that Naruto could no longer see an end to her lies and cover-ups. She had to tell her team, if just to lessen the burden slightly. She wanted to trust them and wanted _their_ trust in turn, and in order to _gain_ that trust, she had to at _least_ tell them this much. It was the least-harmful truth that she could tell them, and she wanted—no, _needed_ to tell them _something_.

"… You hear that, you fuckin' fox?" She gave a mirthless chuckle, wiping away at the slight moisture that stung her eyes. "I'm telling them, 'ttebayo. If you don't like it, well… Too bad. It's _your_ fault for not being here in the first place, you shitty fox."

Still no reply.

Anger and energy spent, she leaned her back up against the great bars of Kurama's cage. She could feel the hum of his potent chakra coursing through them despite their prisoner's absence, and found that it was an almost soothing presence.

Naruto ducked her head and gave a timorous sigh, trying desperately to ignore the annoying sense of loneliness that gripped her heart.

* * *

The following morning, Naruto Hiraishin'd to Fuuko's apartment and put on one of her mother's old Genin outfits before placing a henge on herself to look like she was wearing her standard orange and blue jumpsuit. After making sure that her henge was strong enough, she swallowed the lump in her throat and made her way to the hospital.

When she arrived, she was directed to Sasuke's room, and was both pleased and regretful over the fact that Sakura and Kakashi were present as well. The pinkette was happily chattering away while cutting apple slices for her teammate and sensei, while Kakashi sat on a spare bed, looking as lazy as ever while reading his favorite book. It seemed it was now or never, at this point. Naruto signaled her entrance with a nervous cough, causing the occupants of the room to turn to her.

"Hi guys," she stated casually with a two-finger wave.

Sakura smiled in response. "Naruto! You came to visit Sasuke-kun and Kakashi-sensei too?"

The blonde scratched her head as she took a foldable chair and placed it by her team before sitting down. "Er, well, yes, that's partially it," at the questioning looks she received, she continued. "How are you guys doing? Going to be released anytime soon?"

Kakashi waved a hand in the air, not bothering to lift his eyes from his book. "Maa, I'll be discharged later today. I'm essentially fully-recovered from the chakra exhaustion I experienced, and they only wanted to make sure that I healed up properly."

Naruto nodded at his explanation before turning to look at Sasuke, who in turn averted his eyes. "… I'll be here for a couple more days." The blonde's brow furrowed. She couldn't tell if that was embarrassment, shame, or plain nervousness the boy was showing, and she could think of quite a few reasons behind his behaviour. The fact that he knew she was female, the fact that she was stronger than him, or the fact that she was considered Fuuko's apprentice while he was turned down in regards to training. She noticed with a tick of her lower eyelid that he turned back to face her after she turned away.

Shaking her head, Naruto decided to get her primary objective over with; finish it quickly as though ripping off a bandaid. She surreptitiously placed a privacy seal in the room and then coughed into her hand, once again gaining the attention of her team.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Naruto?"

"Um…" Naruto began intelligently. "How do I say this… I have a secret I want to share with you guys." She noticed the narrowing of the copy-nin's eye and assumed it was because he suspected that she would reveal the secret behind Kurama—the Kyuubi. However, that was a secret she didn't particularly care to divulge just yet… She winced. '… Especially when I might not be a Jinchuuriki anymore.' In all honesty, she had little doubt that she was still a Jinchuuriki, but she didn't want to get her hopes up. Until she gained solid evidence that Kurama was indeed still in her seal and not completely gone, then she decided it would be best to ignore the topic for the time being.

"Naruto?" The blonde snapped out of her thoughts at Sakura's voice, clearly laced with worry. "Are you okay, Naruto…?"

She scratched the back of her head as she gathered her nerves. "Yeah, I'm… I'm okay. It's just that… Well, I have a secret, and as my team, I really think you guys should know." She brought her hands up to the dispelling seal, and with a quick pulse of chakra, her henge dispersed in a cloud of smoke.

Sasuke had already guessed what it was that she wanted to reveal to the team so he wasn't all that surprised, but as the smoke cleared, both Kakashi and Sakura allowed their metaphorical jaws hit the floor.

"N-Naruto, baka!" Sakura screeched, preparing her fist. "You pervert! Why are you wearing girl's clothes?!"

Naruto blocked the punch with ease and stared into her teammate's emerald eyes with a look of complete seriousness. "That's because I _am_ a girl, Sakura." She lifted her hand in a silencing motion as Sakura was about to reply. "I've been a girl from day one, I only pretended to be male. You can ask the Hokage, as he knows my secret."

The blonde felt more than a little self-conscious under the stares of Sakura and Kakashi, the latter's being particularly powerful. While the pinkette was in a shocked stupor, Kakashi's only visible eye narrowed as he assessed Naruto's form. "… Why did you hide it from us?"

"It wasn't _intentional_," Naruto narrowed her eyes back at the copy-nin. "The only reason why I kept it from you guys was because I was keeping it from everyone else. I wasn't exactly planning on telling you guys now, but I figured that now would be as good a time as any."

"But we're a team." Kakashi paused for a moment. "… And you're telling us now. Why not tell us sooner? Why tell us at all, if you weren't planning on it?"

Naruto shrugged. "I'm at a point where I can defend myself should something happen. At this age, I'm really no safer being known as either gender, and I felt like I wanted to tell you guys." She scanned the small group with a blank countenance. "Of course, just because I'm telling you guys doesn't mean that I want this secret out. It was kept a secret for a reason, and I'd really rather not have to deal with the… Consequences."

She looked over at Sakura, who had been oddly silent throughout the exchange. The pinkette stared down at her hands, eyes wide but not showing comprehension. "… Sakura?" Naruto questioned, a hint of worry in her tone. This Sakura wasn't as strong, emotionally and physically, as the Sakura she had known. It was highly likely that this Sakura felt betrayed or disillusioned with this knew revelation, and the last thing Team Seven needed was a rift separating them. "… I understand that it may be a bit difficult for you to take in, and I'm sorry I hid it from you. But I had a rea—"

"Why?" The stern tone left Naruto taken aback; she had expected timid rejection or anger, but Sakura didn't really display either. Instead, she looked up at Naruto, a certain determination in her eyes. "Why did you have to pretend to be a boy?"

The question left the blonde at a loss for words, and she struggled to grasp for a reply. "Er, well… The village doesn't really like me, and ever since I was young I had a hard time. Pretending to be a boy was sort of protection against that, I guess." She refrained from mentioning the more serious differences that her being known as a boy instead of a girl made in her life, for fear of scarring the young pinkette.

Abruptly, Sakura stood up from her seat and stared down at Naruto, who let out a nervous chuckle. "A.. Ha… No need to be so angry, Sakura. I told you now, right, that's what counts—" She winced as she saw a fist coming down to hit her, and blinked when only a light tap on her shoulder was delivered. She looked confusedly and then worriedly at the now tearful Sakura.

"I'm… I'm sorry," Sakura spoke in a quiet whisper, small sobs escaping her lips as tears brimmed her eyes. "You… You were always smiling, and acting stupid, and I never thought to look past that, and I just—I always—I never thought that you were actually suffering, and even I acted like everyone else! They treated you like dirt, like the pariah of the village! But I figured you were still able to s-smile and act stupidly because you were a b-boy. But… But you're actually like me," Naruto inwardly wondered how Sakura knew so much as the girl wiped away the moisture from her eyes. She fisted her hands in the skirt of her red dress. "… You're a girl, but you were always able to smile. And you're just… You're so strong. You used t-to seem kinda pathetic as you tried to fit in, but you're… I still don't know how you got so strong…"

Naruto smiled as she pat Sakura on the head, letting the girl continue her emotionally-charged ramblings. Her eyes locked with Kakashi, who had an indiscernible look on his face. Naruto knew that, in her time, Kakashi hadn't known that she was a girl and had been completely floored by the revelation; apparently, Minato and Kushina never thought to tell him, and the name "Naruto" led him to believe that their child was male, just like her namesake.

The copy-nin's eye slid languidly to the Uchiha, who had been silently observing as the events played out. "… You don't seem all that surprised, Sasuke."

"He already knew," Naruto cut in before Sasuke could answer. Sakura's head shot up in shock, and everyone turned to the blonde. "He found out over in Wave, completely by accident. That was actually the main reason why I'm telling you guys the truth now; it just didn't feel fair that he was the only one that knew."

"S-Sasuke-kun, you knew…?" Sakura stared at her crush with wide-eyes, a hint of nervous fear in them. Fear over what, Naruto wasn't certain.

The boy gave a quiet snort. "Yes, I did, but Naruto wanted it to stay a secret." He glanced at the mentioned blonde. "She wanted to tell you guys herself."

A little shocked but pleased nonetheless at the boy's white lie(or maybe keen perceptiveness), Naruto sent him a thankful smile before turning to the other two with a sheepish laugh. "Heh… So, that's that…? Like I said, no spreading this around, my gender is still supposed to be a secret."

She was interrupted as Sakura tackled her, trapping her in a tight hug as the girl trembled slightly. Naruto looked up at Kakashi, who only gave an eye-smile, and Sasuke, who—once again—looked away as their eyes locked. The blonde sighed as she wrapped her arms around Sakura, feeling satisfied that she had taken this necessary step without suffering from major consequences.

* * *

Naruto sat on top of the Yondaime's head at the Hokage Monument, feeling rather content.

It was strange, really, how much her mood had changed in the past week. She had gone from nervous about the Wave mission, to excited, to feeling homesick, then having an internal crisis(that she blamed on Kurama), and now, she was feeling content. It was… Different, how sharing one of her many secrets with Team Seven somehow alleviated the burden she had been carrying, however light the secret was.

Sakura had actually taken the revelation surprisingly well. Naruto had pretty much expected the worst; maybe the pinkette would've immediately became suspicious and jealous, thinking that Naruto was going to try and "steal" her precious "Sasuke-kun" from her. Maybe she would have screamed bloody murder and demanded that Naruto be placed on a different team. Maybe she would've felt so immensely betrayed that she would pummel the blonde and then proceed to avoid her for a couple of weeks. In all honesty, the third option was what Naruto had suspected the most, if not a combination of all three, and was pleasantly surprised that Sakura instead showed some remorse after finding out the truth. It had been a passing thought, that instead of acting out in anger, Sakura would have instead been more apt to relate to Naruto after finding out that she was a girl. The blonde hadn't actually thought that Sakura would be so remorseful about the situation, but it made her feel wanted and appreciated nonetheless.

Kakashi had more or less acted as Naruto expected. His reaction was essentially the same as it was the first time around, only, he was less… Wordy. The first time, Kakashi had remained silent for a couple minutes, clearly digesting the truth, before trying to calm the blonde's worries(she had immediately assumed that Kakashi "hated her" and suffered a bout of brooding that she no doubt contracted from Sasuke) and telling her that he was simply thinking about things, about how he had not known that she was a girl and that it was unexpected. Naruto didn't find out exactly why the truth affected the man so until she found out her parentage and the relationship Kakashi had with her father. After that, his words made more sense.

It made her a little worried that Kakashi opted to remain silent for the most part this time. Perhaps he didn't feel as close or worried about her this time around; it would make sense in a way, seeing as they hadn't been a team for even a month. After all, the man had always made a point to avoid her due to his past. She just hoped that this revelation wouldn't create another rift between them; her family just wasn't the same without _everyone_ of Team Seven being present.

The most worrying reaction out of everyone, despite having already known, was Sasuke. She knew that he most likely suspected that she would reveal her gender, especially once she announced that she had a secret she wanted to share with them. What unnerved her was the way how the boy stared—just stared—at her throughout the entire event(excluding the times he averted his eyes, to her annoyance). It wasn't his usual reticent look, or even his snobbish "I'm better than you" look. She wouldn't have been bothered by it had that been the case. No, his eyes were glued to her the entire time, and the way he looked at her made her feel like an experiment, some strange _thing_ under the watchful eye of a scientist. That alone wouldn't have unnerved quite as badly if it didn't remind her of Orochimaru's gaze so much. The snake Sannin had no hold of Sasuke at this time, though, so it was easy enough to remind herself that her teammate was not yet far-gone. She still had a chance to save him, and his stare was most likely him still coming to terms with her true gender.

Regardless, the fact that Naruto had revealed this minor truth had a much more positive effect on her overall psyche than she would've expected. She wasn't one much for introspection, but she could almost feel the way her steps were lighter and her back was straighter, as though a cumbersome weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Of course, she should have realized that something would've happened right at that moment, because that was when a sharp pain that was similar to Chidori shot through her midsection.

And then, she was dragged into darkness.

* * *

The darkness slowly receded as she blinked, the residual pain in her stomach slowly fading as she regained consciousness. She started awake when something _orange_… And extremely _close_ stared down at her, red, slitted pupils glaring and form trembling with what she assumed to be fury.

"**IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH! You STUPID HUMANS are so STUBBORN! Did you listen to a WORD I SAID?"** Kurama—it was _Kurama_—was growling in his usual, booming voice, sounding as irate and incensed as ever. All Naruto could do was gape dumbly from where she stood, staring up at her friend that had somehow come back with wide eyes. **"YOU IDIOT! How difficult is it to LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY? ALL OF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN RESOLVED SO MUCH SOONER HAD YOU ONLY LISTENED!"** He turned and pointed a claw-finger at the blonde, a snarl in place. **"WELL? WHY didn't you DO WHAT I SAID SOONER?"**

Naruto was busy gaping.

The fox threw his hands in in the air in frustration, still muttering(well, it was more like shouting) swears and damnations against the entirety of the human race. **"I can't believe it! Of COURSE I would end up befriending the most IDIOTIC of all of my containers! Of course I would be STUCK WITH AN IDIOT THAT CAN'T EVEN—"**

His rant was abruptly cut off as Naruto charged at him full force, and tackled him into a tight hug. Kurama was so distracted that he actually let out a light, "oof" before falling backwards at the impact.

The fox stared down dispassionately at the blonde who clung to his chest, the size of an ant compared to his large form. She buried her face into his fur, tears and snot rolling down her face in an unsightly display of a lack of emotional control.

Eventually, Kurama flicked the blonde mess off with a roll of his eyes, and watched as she tumbled off only to recover herself. She wiped away the residual signs of her little emotional outburst and glared up at the fox, frustration and an amalgamation of other emotions evident behind her conflicted eyes.

"... You said…" Her fists clenched tightly and she was trembling. "You're saying that _I_… That _I'm_ the idiot!?" She finally yelled indignantly, glaring at her unimpressed tenant. "Who was the one that didn't tell me what was going on? What the hell was I supposed to do!? You kept telling me that you were doing nothing, that it wasn't anything important, but look at what happened!? I don't even know what happened, all I know is that it felt like you were_ ripped_ from my seal and, and… Just… Just _gone_! And then you come back and yell at me like _I'm_ the one at fault!?"

The fox's eyes narrowed. **"Had you **_**just**_** done what I **_**told**_** you—"**

"NO!" She shouted, fists balled up in frustration. She crossed her arms in a petulant fashion and pinned Kurama with a powerful glare. "You know what, I'm not sorry about telling them! I don't care what you said, you were the one who wasn't there for it. If you were really so angry about the fact that I decided to tell them—and need I remind you, they are like my _family_, and I _don't_ like keeping secrets from _family_—then you should have been there, 'ttebayo!"

To her confusion, Kurama blinked in surprise.** "… Wait,"** he finally began, shaking his head. **"That wasn't what I was talking about. Did you understand what I was telling you in Wave?"**

Naruto scowled as she thought back to the few times she spoke to Kurama. "… When? When we were fighting Haku and Zabuza, or—"

"**Yes, I believe it was during the battle."** He stared expectantly at her. **"… Well?"**

The two stared at each other for a couple moments before Naruto blinked, frowning as she thought back to Wave. "... Uh… Was that important?" She scratched her head at the unimpressed look Kurama gave her. "All I heard was something about… 'the others'. I couldn't hear anything else,

Kurama gave her an incredulous stare before mumbling, **"… We were really lucky."**

"Huh?"

"**Nothing."** At he pointed look Naruto shot him, he sighed. **"Okay, look. What happened was you kicked me out yourself."**

Naruto blinked and repeated, "… _Huh?_"

"**When I speak to the other Bijuu, my conscience leaves this…"** He looked down at his form, seemingly noting that his current body wasn't exactly corporeal. **"… Spiritual body. As such, I become detached from it and this seal. And before you ask, no, I was unable to do this before. It's due to the Six Paths Sage Chakra that I am able to bypass the seal's safety measures and 'leave'."**

"Okay… But what does that have to do with me 'kicking you out'?" The blonde crossed her arms and frowned in thought. "Did the seal lock you out? But wait, if that's the case, why didn't it happen before? You've done it before… Was there always this risk…?"

Kurama lifted up a claw to silence her. **"Just listen. Yes, I was kept out, but it wasn't due to the seal. It was your your own mind that kept me from returning."** He rolled his eyes at the confused look the blonde shot him.** "Your guilt and sub-conscience has been weighing down on you, and you've been stressed out. When I tried to return to the seal, I was seen as an outside threat, and your mind rejected my return."** He paused, a thoughtful look in place. **"It also has to do with your little identity crisis, I believe. The fact that you are adopting so many, er, identities, makes it difficult for your mind to accommodate yet another presence: me."**

"… Seriously?" Naruto asked, still skeptical about the explanation. When Kurama only gave a serious nod, she sighed, scratching her head. "Um… Wow. Sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen. I guess I can see how that would happen, though." Her azure eyes widened as a thought came to her. "Wait… Is that why you're back now, then? Because I told my team the truth…?"

The fox nodded sagely. **"Yes. Hence, why I said that we were really lucky. You didn't hear what I had said, but still decided to act on your gut feeling, decided to tell them your true gender. Doing so helped alleviate the guilt and stress you were experiencing."** He let out a low growl. **"I guess… We have the Uchiha brat to thank. Had he not found out about your true gender, you probably wouldn't have disclosed this truth to any of them."**

Naruto nodded, before blinking slowly as she recalled how she reacted initially. Then, with a groan, she rubbed the bridge of her nose while grimacing. "The… The way I acted earlier." Kurama looked at her questioningly. "…That was a _disgustingly_ prepubescent thing for me to do."

He snorted. **"You're telling me."**

She shot a glare up at Kurama. "Oi, it's not like _you_ were much better. Who was the one that started yelling like a teething child as soon as you got back, huh?"

Kurama scoffed lightly at the jab. **"At least I didn't cling to you and cry like a baby needing a mother's warmth."**

Naruto pinned her friend with one last glare before letting out a sigh as she shook her head. "Just… You know what, whatever. There are more important things we could be using this time for instead of arguing." Composure back, her countenance became serious and powerful. "What exactly happened, Kurama? What exactly have you been doing? I think it's about time you let me know."

Her eyes narrowed at the subtle tensing of the fox's frame, but he relaxed almost immediately afterwards. **"Like I said, I've been talking with the other Bijuu."**

"Bull_shi_—"

"**Let me finish," **Kurama interrupted with a growl. **"I actually have, mind you, but I admit that I've been trying to… Do something else. I've been trying to contact the Rikudou Sennin."**

Naruto's eyes widened. "Wha… But how? He, I'm certain he ended up—!"

"**Yes, he did,"** Kurama confirmed her suspicions. **"But that doesn't mean that the Rikudou Sennin of the **_**past **_**no longer exists."**

"The… Past…" The blonde stated quietly. "… How? How, though? You shouldn't have been able to…"

"**I'm sure he once told you that it was impossible to transport a physical body, and that only the spiritual could travel."** At her nod, he continued. **"I merely did the same thing you did: I sent my spirit back to inhabit my younger body."**

Naruto stared at him with an unflinching gaze. "… But something was different, otherwise, you wouldn't be here right now." Her hand went to her stomach. "Guilty sub-conscience or not, you wouldn't have come back if you used the same method I did."

Kurama nodded, pleased at the calm thinking his container had adopted. It was a far cry from her earlier disposition(though, he inwardly admitted he wasn't acting particularly intelligently either). **"Indeed. What I did was borrow your Six Paths Sage Chakra, as that is the most important component to the technique. The only problem is that I am not the heritor, so I am unable to generate the constant output of the chakra needed to fully transport my spirit. As such, I would only exist in the past for a small period of time before being sling-shot back here."** He paused. **"That… was most likely the reason for the pain you felt. The full force of my spiritual energy was literally slammed into your own, and had you not been, well… You, you probably would have died."**

Naruto grimaced, but nodded in understanding. "… Well, that explains why I didn't die. If it was only your spirit that left, then I suppose that isn't as bad as your entire _being_ ripped from me." She blinked, and shot up to stare at the fox. "… Did you do it? Did you talk to the Rikudou Sennin?"

Kurama's tails flicked back and forth as he looked off to the side, seemingly in thought. **"… No, not quite. It worked, but… I was unable to speak to him. The amount of time I was allowed was far too short for me to locate him and ask him the questions I have."**

"What questions?" Naruto's eyes narrowed at her tenant, unwilling to let this topic go. If the questions Kurama had were so dire that he had to chance going back into the past to ask the Rikudou Sennin, then they must've been of great importance. The blonde wasn't going to allow Kurama to keep this as a secret from her.

"**It doesn't matter,"** he stated with a sigh. Before Naruto could ask, he continued. **"We'll never get our answers, anyway. It was only a one time thing, and I'm fairly certain that he is gone now."**

"… What do you mean?"

"**I could feel it. Hagoromo's presence was dwindling. This timeline is shifting to accommodate the fact that you are the heritor of the Six Paths Sage Chakra, and as such, Hagoromo's lingering existence is dying out. His memory and part in history will remain, but as a result, his actual existence will wane."** He grimaced slightly. **"… Besides, it wouldn't be wise to attempt that again. Even though the process isn't nearly as dangerous for you as my actual extraction, it will still have the same result. If I end up being unable to return to my spiritual body permanently, your own body will collapse on itself with enough time."**

"… Wait, that doesn't make sense. Why is my presence erasing his?" The concept truly confused Naruto. And if her being the heritor was causing this, what did that mean for the timeline? Would that mean Indra and Asura would cease to exist, as well?

"**You weren't listening to my words carefully enough. I said that Hagoromo's presence is dwindling, and even if his existence is wiped out, everything will still remain. What he has done and the fact that he once lived will continue, but it's solely his presence that will disappear."** He sighed at the confused look Naruto still had. **"Think about it this way. Hagoromo Otsusuki is unaffected by time, and as such, time is unaffected by him. Instead of his disappearance changing the timeline, it will be more akin to… A human dying. While that human will cease living, they will still be remembered and mourned. The Rikudou's chakra—his spirit—now exists in you, and as such, is a testament to the fact that he once existed."**

Naruto sweat-dropped. "Unaffected by time… And vice versa? Why didn't he travel to the past himself?" She was half-joking, but also spoke with undertones of seriousness. "I mean, yikes. Madara and Kaguya would have no chance against someone that _time_ can't defeat."

"**It's because you're the Child of Prophecy."**

"Yeah, yeah, I know," the blonde replied with a roll of her eyes. "That's what you all say, and you never elaborate on that. It's just a title, big deal."

With a shrug, she walked over to Kurama's side and sat, leaning up against his side as she sunk into his fur. Naruto could feel the pure power that radiated from his form, and his chakra enveloped her like a warm blanket. She had missed this; during his absence, her own chakra felt somewhat… Empty, for lack of a better word, without the constant flow of the fox's own chakra. Once tainted with hatred before, it was now a warm and inviting presence to the blonde's life, and she could feel that Kurama—her friend—was really back. The blonde looked up at the fox, who was staring at her with a lifted eye-brow.

She grinned. "I missed you, Kura-chan."

In response, Kurama grunted before flicking the blonde away from him. Again.

Naruto tumbled several meters away before skidding to a stop, rubbing her sore back where the claw came into contact with her. She grumbled as she stood up. "Oi, you over-sized heater, that wasn't very nice."

"**Hmph. You should leave, before your physical body freezes to death. Night has fallen in the real world."**

The blonde paled. "What! I thought that time slows down while I'm in here!"

"**Only if I will it to,"** Kurama retorted.

"Great. Just great. Like your ego wasn't big enough already, you now can control time," Naruto's little rant was betrayed by the steadily growing smile on her face. "What next, you're going to become the next Rikudou Sennin after me?"

"**Just leave already. I'm tired and I want to rest." **He blinked sleepily at his container, who noted the rather obvious signs of drowsiness.

"Pfft, so boring," the blonde teased, before a serious gleam entered her eyes. "… I'll be sure to speak more with my teammates. I'll learn more about them, and communicate with them more. I'll open up to the people important to me." She brought a fist over her heart and stared at the fox. "… I'll watch my secrets, but I'll keep a close eye on my own psyche to make sure I can even _handle_ my secrets."

She gave a small grin as she felt consciousness tugging her away from her mind-scape. "I don't… I don't ever want to lose you again, Kurama, so if I keep up my promise, you will tell me what goes on. Alright?"

Kurama only waved her away, and she departed from her mind-scape to return to the real world.

* * *

After Naruto left, Kurama was once again in his cage on his lonesome.

Deep in the darkness, a figure flickered in and out of sight, seemingly taunting the fox. A flash of gold and red, a deceitful smile, and the quiet static that muffled the Bijuu's hearing and sight, keeping him from locating the potential threat.

Kurama's eyes narrowed as he strained to see, but the lull of sleep distracted him. **"You…"** He managed to growl out, before a small, devious smile flickered on his face. **"... You lose."** His only notification that the figure heard him was a faint bristling and growing sense of irritation being emitted from the darkness.

Finally after a few failed minutes of trying to stay awake, he gave up the battle and allowed sleep to take him.

* * *

**A/N****: Honestly, I'm in kind of a slump, and I'm just not too happy with this story(but don't worry, I'm not gonna suddenly drop it). I don't know, maybe I'm just being nit-picky, but I feel like it's… Bland? Disorganized? Hectic?(okay, that was an oxymoron, but that only underlines my mixed feelings in regards to this fic) It's like being given major pieces to a puzzle and constructing the smaller pieces around it, only to realize that the smaller pieces don't fit together, leaving the major ones separated. And really messed-up.**

**Also, you guys can probably already tell, but Naruto is steadily acting more and more like her actual physical age. I REALLY didn't want to even post this much, but there is an actual reason for her behaviour. *tapes mouth so spoilers don't flood***


	13. Interlude - Kurama

**Rating****: T**

**A/N****: Just thought I should mention: Interludes are NOT just repeats of same events, and will usually(especially in regards to this particular one) have quite a few important additions and revelations that add to the story. So I implore you guys to read this.**

**Disclaimer****: Can't make me.**

* * *

**Interlude - Kurama**

Kurama.

It was a name that he had been given, a name that he cherished. It was the name that the Rikudou Sennin had given him, and it was a label he considered near-sacred.

It was the only reason why he had not minded that the humans constantly called him the "Kyuubi." It was a true-enough moniker, and the foolish insects known as humans had no right to speak his name, to utter it with their foul bitterness, to even _know_ it. It was a name that held much meaning for the fox, and if anyone dared speak it with as much care as they spoke the name "Kyuubi," he would stop at nothing to kill the impudent fool.

However, when his newest jailer, the blonde spawn of the Uzumaki survivor and that accursed Yondaime, suddenly entered his prison and called out his name—"Kurama," she had spoken in an almost_ expectant_ tone—he was confused, curious, and rather irritated. He should have been _furious_, stopping at nothing to utterly _destroy_ the _sack of human flesh_ for her belligerent use of his revered name.

It was strange. Aside from the other Bijuu, no one knew of his name. The Rikudou Sennin had been the only other existence to have known it(being the one to have given him the label to begin with), and the man died long ago. The few humans that learned of his name millennia ago had long since died out, carrying with them the knowledge of his name to the afterlife.

Kurama was certain that his newest Jinchuuriki had never encountered any of the other Bijuu; he would've detected their presences immediately had she done so. But then why did she know?

In the same conversation that she had called out to him, she explained the truth. As soon as she mentioned memories, Kurama had known what she was implying. However, never in the thousands of years that the great fox had existed could he recount a situation where time travel was possible. It simply wasn't. He was prepared to dismiss her claims and kick her out of the mind-scape, until the all-too-familiar feeling of Sage Chakra enshrouded her.

That, he had not expected.

He didn't even know it was possible. He was almost certain that she was the reincarnation of the Rikudou Sennin, revived in the body of his newest Jinchuuriki. He might've liked that idea better, and when she had said that she was _not _the Rikudou Sennin and instead his chosen "successor," Kurama had to admit he felt some disappointment at the admission.

It was why he at first didn't care about the prospect of searching for "his" memories which were apparently stored in her mind. She was not the Rikudou Sennin's reincarnation, she was just another human amongst the many in the world. He couldn't care less, and she was going to die within the next 60 years as her human life dictated.

Regardless, he asked why. Why did she want him to regain his memories, why was it important? Her response—pained look and all—had left him minutely surprised.

"_Because we were comrades… Friends. We were friends, Kurama, despite how you feel right now. I freed you from your hatred, and we worked together to take down our enemy."_

It was at that point that Kurama remembered. The Rikudou Sennin had often told them about a prophecy, about the child who would change the world. The child who would be able to liberate the humans of their hatred—and would come to understand _them_, the Bijuu.

If her words were to be believed, then it was very likely that she was the very Child of Prophecy that Hagoromo had spoken of.

So, he decided to chance it. He decided to recover the memories of his supposed future.

It started off as he had expected; the girl was an outcast, due to his presence. She had hated and blamed everything on him, her animosity not completely misplaced. They constantly battled and disagreed; Kurama, trying to lure her with the promise of power in the hopes of taking over her body and freeing himself, Naruto refusing because of her understanding of hard work.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, her grandfather, her ally throughout her childhood, her benefactor. Jiraiya of the Sannin, her mentor, her father-figure, her role model, her family. There were many others that she had met and changed; Sabaku no Gaara, Hyuuga Neji, Uzumaki Nagato, Konan, Uchiha Itachi, the entire village… And of course, Uchiha Sasuke.

Kurama's memories ended sometime towards the end of the war, after Kaguya's resurrection. But they fought together, however brief, and the fox was certain that Naruto had managed to change him, too.

By the time Naruto had decided that she would pay Shukaku a visit in the current timeline, Kurama had recovered all of his memories. He had accepted that, yes, Uzumaki Naruto was someone that he had accepted and decided to trust. Someone that he would help as she endeavored to change the past for a more favourable future.

The meeting with Shukaku was… Interesting, to say the least. The Tanuki had been much more receptive of regaining his memories than Kurama would have first thought, and it was to the fox's humiliation that he had been rather protective of the blonde. She probably hadn't noticed it, but his unease was great at the prospect of having Shukaku enter her mind and have free-reign. It was the reason why he made certain to have her near him during the exchange.

He would've_ preferred _it if his container had refrained from calling him "Kura-chan" in the presence of the Ichibi, but what was done was done.

When they had gotten back to Konoha, Kurama worked on forming a connection with his fellow Bijuu.

He knew that Naruto relied on him for mostly emotional support, and depended on him for the occasional nudge in the right direction, but there were certain things that she was over-looking. Certain things that needed to be brought to her attention, but not yet.

Her little breakdown after one particularly stressful day was proof enough of this. She began to question whether or not she was doing the right thing, and wondered what would happen if she was unable to save everyone. She had called herself a coward, and Kurama agreed.

Ultimately, he had told her that she should just be herself. Her biggest attribute was the fact that she never gave up, and her brooding was only getting in the way with that. He wasn't exactly well-known for being the most calming and rational being, but he had managed to get through to the stubborn blonde, and that was enough for him.

It was when Naruto had mentioned a prophecy from the Rikudou Sennin that a sense of dread began to form.

"_Something about preconceptions of dreams, and how dreams can be more truthful than reality. Honestly, it doesn't make much sense but it still gets my hopes up sometimes. Regardless, there is no way that a Genjutsu could've held solid credibility… or could it?"_

Those were the words she had spoken, and though the last bit was spoken in jest, they still left the fox feeling uneasy.

It wasn't long after that he had finally managed to establish a stable connection amongst the Bijuu, without the knowledge of their respective Jinchuuriki.

"_Kurama, what have you called us together for?" Son Goku spoke with his usual authoritative and prideful drawl, but not without the slightest bit of apprehension._

"_Maybe we're just having a family reunion, it's been a while since we have, lucky!" Choumei cheered with his usual up-beat attitude, and the more severe Bijuu of the bunch sighed collectively._

"… _I do not believe that Kurama would have us communicate without a more definite reason, Choumei," Kokuo chided lightly._

"_I agree," Gyuuki's eyes narrowed in the direction of the fox. "I never would've thought that our eldest would _lower _himself to speak with us." His eyes slid over to Shukaku, who remained quiet. "And you, Shukaku. You are oddly quiet, considering you are usually the most… _outspoken,_ out of all of us."_

_Saiken and Isobu gave minute nods. "It is most strange for you to be so silent, Shukaku," Isobu stated quietly._

"_I think we have all expressed our suspicions," Son Goku cut in before anyone else could. He turned to Kurama with his arms crossed, a single eyebrow raised. "Perhaps you could tell us, brother, what you found so important that you had to call us all together like this."_

"… _There are a… Few reasons why I have established this connection with all of you," Kurama stated carefully. _

"_Speaking of, how exactly did you manage to gather all of us here at once? Typically, our Jinchuuriki can also enter this space with us, but," Kokuo paused, "… Han has yet to show any indication of knowing of my absence."_

_The other Bijuu nodded, and Kurama growled impatiently. "I was just about to get to that." He shifted, sitting in a more daunting position as he looked down his nose at his siblings. "My Jinchuuriki is the chosen successor of the Rikudou Sennin, and is the Child of Prophecy that Hagoromo informed us of many years ago."_

_Eyes widened, gasps were heard, and two Bijuu scowled. "… What do you mean? Are you certain that you are not exaggerating?" The incredulity in Gyuuki's voice was obvious, and Kurama glowered at the questioning gazes that had fallen on him._

"_Allow me to get back to the topic that I was first discussing. At the moment, an organization that threatens our very well-beings is preparing to strike." The other Bijuu seemed to tense at this sudden information. "They wish to collect all of us as pawns to their game, and to further their ambitions."_

"_Che." All turned to Son Goku. "How is that new? The Shinobi Nations are constantly warring over who has supremacy in power; we Bijuu have always been at the center of that conflict. We are chakra power-houses and have always been coveted for our near-endless power." The four-tailed ape sneered. "Your little 'revelation' is nothing _new_, Kurama."_

"_Maybe if you shut your insolent mouth and _listened_, you would understand just how dire the situation truly is!" Kurama's voice boomed as he leaked ample killing intent, immediately silencing the other Bijuu. "This organization isn't simply another group of humans that we could ignore. For one, they have the power of the _Rinnegan_ on their side," Son Goku's eyes widened, "and they are being lead by someone who wishes to become a god: Uchiha Madara."_

_Everyone was silent with the exception of Gyuuki, who scoffed quietly. "… We don't have a history with the Uchiha clan like you do, Kurama. You may think they are a threat, but the Uchiha clan is just another bunch of power-hungry humans. There is nothing to worry about."_

"… _Do you truly believe that, Gyuuki?" All turned to Matatabi, who had been completely silent along with Shukaku. "You could ignore the threat that Uchiha Madara poses if you wish. But this new 'organization' still has the Rinnegan, and as such, they are a liable threat." Ever the voice of reason, as always._

_A near palpable silence fell as the others digested the implications, and both Son Goku and Gyuuki breathed sharply in realization._

"_Wait… The Rinnegan and their goal…" Kurama turned to Gyuuki, who stared at him with wide-eyes. "They aren't… They aren't trying to…?"_

"_Yes," Kurama replied coldly, causing those who had their suspicions to freeze. "Their goal is to resurrect the Juubi, and as such, Kaguya will be revived once again."_

That was how their first conversation through the newly-made bond went. He only told them that Naruto was the Child of Prophecy and the heritor of the Rikudou Sennin, keeping the fact of her origins in the future a carefully guarded secret. Had he told them that their conversation was kept secluded thanks to the chakra Naruto had received during the Fourth Shinobi War while she was their Jinchuuriki, it would've been a rather obvious reveal of the fact that she was from the future. And that was not something Kurama felt needed to be revealed, not when it was still very possible that some of his fellow Bijuu would be captured by the Akatsuki.

So when Naruto asked if she could come along for the next time the Bijuu spoke, Kurama vehemently refused.

He had to lie to her. He would admit, it did affect his conscience slightly to lie to Naruto(how strange that was; he was not even aware that he had a _conscience_), but it was for the greater good and the grander scheme. He simply could not chance having Naruto meet with the other Bijuu and Jinchuuriki, and possibly end up alerting them to the truth. Because if they all knew, and if one of them were to be captured by the Akatsuki, _they_ would know the truth—know that Naruto was from the future, and that she had remnants of chakra from _all_ of the Bijuu. She would be the perfect puzzle piece for Madara to use in reviving the Juubi, what with the chakra she held within her. Though Naruto was strong, she wasn't strong enough to fight against a group of S-Ranked missing-nin, especially not while she was trying to protect all of her "precious people." Kurama had decided that he would wait, preferably after her little training trip with the Gama Sennin, to tell her everything.

Later on, however, something worrisome had happened.

_Kurama sat in the sewer-like mind-scape, going in and out of consciousness. He had little else to do, while his Jinchuuriki was milling about in the outer world._

_It was just as the fox was about to doze off that he saw it. His eyes snapped opened and narrowed into the darkness._

_The smallest flicker of sunshine blonde hair, tied up in a ponytail._

_But almost as soon as Kurama saw it, the vision vanished, and try as he might to find it again, he was unable to. Whatever he had seen had retreated far beyond the bars of his prison, and if he wanted to pursue it, he would need to wait for Naruto to fully unlock his cage._

He had his suspicions, of course. It was the reason why he had confronted Naruto about her little "persona" known as Fuuko. She had become heavily reliant on the guise, and it was something that left the fox with a foreboding sense of unease. The fact that when he asked her point blank, "what do you plan to do with your little persona?" her answer was uncertain didn't help matters at all.

He couldn't tell her his worries, however. He could only impart her a few words with the hope that she would be able to see "underneath the underneath."

"_Just don't let it become another weakness. As it stands, your biggest enemy is yourself and your past. By the time any true enemies make their appearance, you need to either have those weaknesses hidden flawlessly, or have dealt with them and reached closure."_

He couldn't be more forthright. He just hoped she picked up on what he meant by her "biggest enemy" sooner than later.

The months following the incident went without much excitement, though they had finally gotten around to experimenting with Kurama's chakra. It was a great disappointment when they found that Naruto could not achieve any of the "modes," and though Kurama had said that it was due to Naruto's body having too little training with Sage Mode… It was a lie.

Kurama had a feeling, and it was far from a good one at that. He suspected for why Naruto couldn't use the modes, and it only further worried him. He contemplated telling her about his suspicions; it was entirely possible that his guess was unfounded, and he would needlessly worry the already stressed blonde. He could tell that she was already suffering and trying to do more than she was emotionally and physically capable of, and it would be best to try and keep her from stressing further. However, should his suspicions prove true and he withheld his revelations, Kurama would be trapped. He would have to hope that Naruto could find out what the issue is and work through her problems with minimal lasting damage.

He had decided to keep his thoughts to himself. It seemed as though Naruto was healing, albeit slowly, and he did not wish to impede that progress. She deserved her happiness, however short it may be.

It was also around this time that he found out that the Kurama Naruto knew from the _Genjutsu_ could actually purr, and he feared for his pride. If his _other_ suspicions were true, then that was something he would've preferred to never know.

When the blonde had officially become a Genin of Konoha for the second time, Kurama had begun to experiment with his seal. Having lived for millennia and been sealed within two Fuuinjutsu masters prior to Naruto, he had basic knowledge, enough to decipher his seal. It truly was complex, and without certain factors he wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. "Certain factors" being the fact that he had seen what the seal's key looked like when Naruto had unlocked it during the war, and the fact that Naruto had loosened his seal when they had rekindled their "friendship" this time around.

It was with this loophole that he was able to loose some of his chakra, and reach into his memories from far into the past. Using the Six Paths Sage Chakra that rested within Naruto's coils, he was able to pinpoint the exact time and place that he willed his mind to travel. The process itself left him drained of chakra and in a catatonic state, and he had to be wary of how long and how frequent he performed this technique.

Other than help Naruto occasionally, point out that she was being followed by Danzou's men, speak to her here and there, Kurama kept his focus on working on this little technique, this technique that could quite literally change_ everything_.

It was almost like a form of time travel, though it was only of the mind and spirit. His chakra—his form—was left in the present, with Naruto, while he went on his little voyage. If he could go back and obtain the answers he needed, he could not only help Naruto but help save her "precious people," making her task substantially easier.

It was on the fourth try, while Naruto was on her way to Wave, that he had finally succeeded in finding the man he wished to see, the one that changed everything for his friend.

"_Hagoromo."_

_The pale, ethereal being gave a slow nod, his amaranthine eyes almost glowing. "… Kurama."_

"_I have a question," the young fox noted how his body was noticeably smaller than he truly was, but such was to be expected when projecting one's mind into the body of a younger counterpart._

"_You… You are not the Kurama I know," the Sage commented in a monotone voice. "You are a different Kurama."_

_The fox nodded. "Yes, I am indeed a 'different' Kurama, though I have the memories of this time. I am from the future, Hagoromo, and I have questions that need answering, preferably soon." He didn't have long before the technique faded, and he needed answers _now_._

_Rippled eyes flickered to the side before settling back on Kurama. "… It is not truly time travel, then. You are merely present for an allotted time before you depart once again. Why have you come here?"_

_Kurama knew what he was asking. Even after dying, the Sage himself was supposed to live on in spirit, as long as the reincarnations of Indra and Asura continued to rise. He was asking if the Child of Prophecy had finally succeeded, therefore ending Hagoromo's need to exist._

"_You chose a heritor to travel to the past and change the future," he finally began. "As such, you passed on your chakra to her, the Child of Prophecy, and ceased to exist."_

_Hagoromo only gave a small nod. He had already known, and only asked for the sake of formality, it seemed. Kurama nearly growled in frustration, the Sage was _always_ like this._

_Finally, the legendary figure deigned to save the fox the trouble of playing his game of riddles and conjectures. "What is the question you seek the answer to, Kurama?"_

It was a question that Kurama had known he could only hypothesize the answer to. Because even though he could travel to the past and speak to Hagoromo, he couldn't speak to the one that had _made that decision_—that _decision_ that the fox was still unsure of.

He had asked his question, and he had received his answer. And as he thought, the truth was far too much for his container… For his _friend_ to handle. Kurama had no doubt that she would finally break if she were told the truth, told the painful truth about the Genjutsu.

It was something that Kurama would bear on his own. While Naruto was one who drew her power from her bonds, Kurama was not. He could keep the secret while protecting her, and that was precisely what he planned on doing. She did not need to know the truth, and she would be perfectly fine living on without ever finding out.

However, when the connection had severed and he returned to the present time, he was met with a foul presence that he had not expected to be confronted by. Not yet, not so soon.

"_Kyuubi," a female voice called out in a hateful tone._

_Kurama's eyes narrowed as he regained himself. He was still drained from performing the technique and his senses were painfully dulled, making it hard for him to find the source of the voice._

_He knew it wasn't Naruto. It had been a while since Naruto had called him by that bland moniker, and the blonde had more respect for the fox's name than to revert to calling him "Kyuubi." Even if the voice sounded suspiciously like Naruto's voice, Kurama knew that it was _not_ her._

"_**Who are you?" **__He growled in a threatening tone. __**"You are not welcome here, this is not your domain."**_

_A lithe figure stepped out of the shadows, and Kurama sent out a wave of killing intent at the sight of the _imposter_. Whoever it was that encroached on his territory had the guise of Naruto's little persona, Fuuko, and knew that they were one in the same._

"_**How dare you use that face!" **__Kurama bellowed, barely keeping himself from charging the bars of his prison in an attempt to rip the fool to shreds._

"_Heehee," the young woman danced up to the bars and Kurama attempted to swipe at her, only to find that she was just out of his reach. He growled at the teasing giggle she gave at the display. "Silly, silly Kyuubi. So silly, so very silly."_

"_**Fuck you."**_

_The fake giggled again while waggling a finger. "Now now, that isn't the tone you should be using, wouldn't you agree?" _

"_**I'm warning you," **__Kurama ground out, his patience wearing thin. __**"You are not Naruto, and yet you know about that guise. Tell me. Who. You. ARE!"**_

_At the last shouted word, the water bled into a deep red and no longer held it's calm, undisturbed surface, but turned into rolling waves. The fake blonde merely jumped around the shifts while giggling. That incessant, teasing, _derisive_ sound._

"_**Answer me!" **__The fox swiped outwards in an attempt to grab the fake, but she darted just out of his reach again._

_She reached for her mask, and Kurama immediately halted his rampage, eyeing her mask as it slowly slid off. "You're such a big meanie. I shouldn't tell you, but…" The mask splashed into the calmer waters, revealing red irises…_

_And black sclera._

_Kurama's eyes widened. __**"… No… How…?"**_

_The shadow held a hand over her mouth demurely as she giggled. "Heehee, do you understand now, Kyuubi?"_

_A giant claw slammed against the sturdy bars as Kurama seethed. __**"IMPOSSIBLE! You should not exist here, not without the Waterfall of Truth! You shouldn't be able to project yourself here!"**_

_The blonde chewed on her finger in disappointment as she visibly wilted. "Aw… You didn't answer correctly," the statement was said with faux sadness. She then grinned maliciously as she began to wave at the fox. "Oh well, too bad. Bye-bye, Kyuubi."_

"_**Wha… What are you—"**_

_A battle. Pain. Hardship. A clash of opposing powers. A smiling blonde, the image offset by her lack of her right arm._

'…_**. What…'**_

_A parting, the same blonde saying goodbye to her friend. Her teammate. She smiles._

'_**What is this…?'**_

_Peace, rebuilding, and happiness. The nations come together, under the leadership of the newer generation. Silently, he watches as his first friend in millennia creates bonds and friendships that others would never have expected._

"_**I said, what is this?"**_

_A symbol of power and leadership. She receives the hat, a bright smile on her face, and everyone that had once scorned her for the power she never asked for, smiles up at her as they cheer. Their new Hokage._

"_**What are you showing me!?"**_

_Years pass. Peace has actually been achieved, and she is happy. Content. All of her friends, her family, her loved ones, everyone is finally safe, and no looming threat is seen in the horizon of the bright future._

"_**STOP THIS!"**_

_Content. She feels content, even as life slips from her fingers. She finally closes her eyes, feeling loved… And then it hits. Sadness. Emptiness. _

_Failure._

_Kurama screamed in pain as he felt his grasp slip, felt his spirit ripped away from the seal. He snarled and fought against the invisible force, and glared at the familiar head of blonde hair that did not belong on that _shadow_ of the truth._

"_**YOU—! YOU WILL REGRET THIS!"**__ He barked out, anger getting the best of him. His anger only grew at the derisive smile she gave him. "_

"_**I WILL TEAR YOU TO SHREDS! Just you wait, YOU IGNORANT SPECTRE!"**__ Her smile faded abruptly at the word as she scowled, and Kurama felt a small bit of bitter happiness at his minor victory. At the uncovered wound. __**"YOU are NOTHING LIKE HER! You don't DESERVE TO WEAR THAT FORM!"**_

"_I think that's enough," she stated quietly, before a powerful force shoved Kurama away._

_And then, there was darkness._

He didn't know how long he had been lingering in the darkness, the nothingness in-between existence and death. Kurama assumed that must've been what it was like to die for a Bijuu; waiting, waiting in the darkness until their chakra reformed in the world and they were reborn. He himself had never experienced it, as he had been too powerful for anyone or thing to best him, and he had never seen his Jinchuuriki die while he was still within their seals.

He had wondered if he really was dead, and if that was the case… What had happened to Naruto?

It was strange, because at that thought, he saw a small flicker of light in the distance. Experimentally, he reached out to it, and suddenly, he found himself staring at two familiar figures—Zabuza and Haku, if he recalled correctly—before a searing pain overtook him, and he was suddenly kneeling. The vision passed, and he found himself in the familiar confines of his seal.

_The shadow appeared and snarled at him. "You shouldn't be here," she growled, apparently prepared to shove him out once again._

_Immediately, Kurama turned his attention to Naruto, trying to get her to hear him. __**"KIT!" **__He already felt the pain return, and struggled to make himself heard as the spectre tried to force him out once again. "__**Look, kit, you can't keep everything to yourself anymore!"**__ He sent a glare to the lookalike, the shadow of his container. __**"You NEED to tell the others, or your darkness will take over!" **_

_The push grew stronger and he snarled, fighting his restraints, fighting the invisible force that pushed him away from his friend and the pull from the empty darkness he had just escaped. __**"STOP TRYING TO KEEP EVERYTHING TO YOURSELF AND LEARN TO DEPEND ON OTHERS! You CAN'T FORGET, your strength comes from your BONDS and your LOVED ONES, and only then can you DEFEAT THIS DARKNESS!"**_

Right then, his renewed hold on his friend snapped, and the last thing he felt was a faint flicker of relief, the ghost of a smile. He could only hope that she had heard him and understood what he had said.

He was then pulled back into the familiar darkness, and was left to his stewing thoughts. He was _beyond_ angry; that damned shadow had actually held power over him. It was one thing for Naruto to, but it seemed that the seal's restraints bled over to the shadow as well, allowing _it_ to go as far as push Kurama's conscience from his prison.

He dwelled in his thoughts about how he would rip apart the imposter as soon as he managed to escape. Inwardly he was worried about Naruto, about how she would do without him if nothing was fixed. But regardless, he believed in her. It was all he could do.

It felt like months had passed, and he was about to finally give up, until he felt a strange tugging sensation—a familiar pull.

It wasn't like the times he had been pulled into this darkness, and it wasn't like the time he had been torn away from Naruto during the war(though it was similar). It was a welcoming feeling, and it felt like the home Hagoromo had once given to the nine Bijuu, thousands of years ago.

And then, he found himself back in his seal, as though nothing had happened.

At first, he felt relief, and slight happiness. And then, he felt bubbling anger at how stupid and absolutely _foolish_ his container was. Why had it taken her so long to finally tell someone? Why had she waited so _damn_ long? He had a feeling that time passed differently where he was lingering, but it had definitely been at least several days. He knew for a fact.

So, he had promptly dragged her down into her mind-scape, not caring if she was in the middle of talking to her _human_ teammates or walking down a damn flight of stairs; he intended on giving her a piece of his mind.

And he had done just that. They exchanged some heated words, she ended up crying on him to his exasperation(he felt somewhat remorseful about it, but he would never, NEVER admit as much), and a few revelations were made.

Apparently, she hadn't even heard his words. That explained why she didn't act on his advice immediately—she couldn't exactly do that if she didn't know what to do to begin with.

It was with no small amount of relief and exasperation that Kurama conceded that they were indeed lucky, and that the Uchiha brat was partly helpful over all. That was when she questioned him about what exactly it was that happened.

"_**Okay, look. What happened was you kicked me out yourself."**_

_Naruto blinked and repeated, "… Huh?"_

"_**When I speak to the other Bijuu, my conscience leaves this…"**__ He looked down at his form, seemingly noting that his current body wasn't exactly corporeal. __**"… Spiritual body. As such, I become detached from it and this seal. And before you ask, no, I was unable to do this before. It's due to the Six Paths Sage Chakra that I am able to bypass the seal's safety measures and 'leave'."**_

"_Okay… But what does that have to do with me 'kicking you out'? Did the seal lock you out? But wait, if that's the case, why didn't it happen before? You've done it before… Was there always this risk…?"_

"_**Just listen. Yes, I was kept out, but it wasn't due to the seal. It was your your own mind that kept me from returning."**__ It wasn't quite a lie, but it wasn't the truth, either. It wasn't exactly her mind that kept him out, but a construct of her mind, a shadow of herself. __**"Your guilt and sub-conscience has been weighing down on you, and you've been stressed out. When I tried to return to the seal, I was seen as an outside threat, and your mind rejected my return.**__**It also has to do with your little identity crisis, I believe. The fact that you are adopting so many, er, identities, makes it difficult for your mind to accommodate yet another presence: me."**_

_It was another half-truth. It was an idea that formed as soon as Kurama had seen the form the shadow took; it wasn't an exact mirror of Naruto like last time, but "Fuuko," her alias. It was likely that Naruto had developed a sort of inferiority complex about her own persona, and her darkness used that against her in an effort to assert power. Of course, judging from the blonde's reaction he could conclude that they had yet to meet, but it was only a matter of time, unless Kurama did something. Hence, his words. If he could get her to straighten out her little identity crisis, then the problem would assert itself, nullifying the need to blatantly point out her "shadow" problem. Besides, the shadow seemed reluctant to show itself now, if it's lack of presence at the moment was any indication. It was better to destroy the threat before it became powerful enough to challenge it's predecessor._

Their conversation proceeded with a few friendly jeers and the like, until the blonde decided to confront Kurama about something that had most likely been bothering her for a while.

"_What exactly happened, Kurama? What exactly have you been doing? I think it's about time you let me know."_

"_**Like I said, I've been talking with the other Bijuu."**_

"Bull_shi_—"

"_**Let me finish," **__Kurama interrupted with a growl. __**"I actually have, mind you, but I admit that I've been trying to… Do something else. I've been trying to contact the Rikudou Sennin."**_

_Naruto's eyes widened. "Wha… But how? He, I'm certain he ended up—!"_

"_**Yes, he did,"**__ Kurama confirmed her suspicions. __**"But that doesn't mean that the Rikudou Sennin of the past no longer exists."**_

He then proceeded to give his excuses and half-truths.

"… _Did you do it? Did you talk to the Rikudou Sennin?"_

_Kurama's tails flicked back and forth as he looked off to the side. He couldn't tell her that he had actually succeeded in contacting the man, or she would undoubtedly ask what they had discussed. He was far more reluctant to tell her about his newfound revelations, even more so than the fact that her shadow had seemingly resurfaced. __**"… No, not quite. It worked, but… I was unable to speak to him. The amount of time I was allowed was far too short for me to locate him and ask him the questions I have."**_

"_What questions?" _

"_**It doesn't matter,"**__ he stated with a sigh, finding it relatively easy to lie even to one he considered a friend. Before Naruto could ask, he continued. __**"We'll never get our answers, anyway. It was only a one time thing, and I'm fairly certain that he is gone now."**_

"… _What do you mean?"_

"_**I could feel it. Hagoromo's presence was dwindling. This timeline is shifting to accommodate the fact that you are the heritor of the Six Paths Sage Chakra, and as such, Hagoromo's lingering existence is dying out. His memory and part in history will remain, but as a result, his actual existence will wane." **__He grimaced slightly.__** "… Besides, it wouldn't be wise to attempt that again. Even though the process isn't nearly as dangerous for you as my actual extraction, it will still have the same result. If I end up being unable to return to my spiritual body permanently, your own body will collapse on itself with enough time."**_

_Truth. Hagoromo's presence truly was dwindling, and Naruto's own existence was indeed canceling out the man's own. Hence, Kurama's rush to find him now as opposed to later._

Naruto had continued her line of questioning, and eventually settled for asking why Hagoromo hadn't sent himself to the past, though the comment was made mostly in jest. Kurama replied anyway, saying that it was because she was the Child of Prophecy.

She didn't actually grasp how important that concept was. Though, it wasn't quite the title, so much as her very being itself. She had an innate ability to convert people, see her reason, and make them want to follow her. It was something that was ingrained into her very psyche, and the blonde never realized it. Though it wasn't because she was the _Child of Prophecy_ that she had that; no, it was more, _she_ _was_ the Child of Prophecy because of _who_ she was and the _kind of person_ she is.

The blonde had then walked up to and leaned against him, seemingly relishing his warmth. Kurama was somewhat pleased when she grinned up at him and said that she missed him—he would never, ever admit to this, he would sooner _rip off his own proud tails_ before doing so—and he flicked her in response.

She left, leaving Kurama on his lonesome, and then _she_ appeared.

_He was tired, but still managed to keep his eyes on the slight flickering of the figure as she moved about, no doubt losing her form at Naruto's content._

"_**You…"**__ He finally began, a victorious smirk stretching across his lips. __**"You lose."**_

_It was with no small amount of pride and amusement that the shadow scowled at him before shifting and blending back into the darkness, practically radiating it's discontent over the situation._

And here, Kurama sat in the mind-scape thinking about recent events before scowling as his mind delved into more serious matters. He couldn't tell Naruto everything. He had to lie to her. The issue with the shadow was one that she would need to find on her own if she wanted to dispel it, and he couldn't interfere much.

And then, there was the other… Issue.

That, he _definitely_ couldn't tell her. It wasn't a matter of pride, no, and he would sooner admit that it was out of worry for the blonde than actually tell her the startling truth his conversation with Hagoromo had revealed. It was, he guessed, tied in with the _annoying_ shadow(which, if his recent conjectures about the odd presence were true, was the reason why they could not yet attain the powerful "modes" they had access to during the war) to some degree, and knew for a fact that it was a much more serious problem than the other's presence. Perhaps the reason why the non-mirrored anomaly _even existed_.

"… **I can't tell you, Naruto,"** he muttered quietly, sleep pulling at his consciousness once again. **"It's something that you don't need to know. It's something that will only impede your progress in this world, in the past." **

He closed his eyes. **"… You will be much happier not knowing."**

* * *

**A/N****: Yeah, I've had this planned for a while. This is something that I decided on as soon as I came up with the concept of this story, so… Yeah, pretty major plot stuff. I wish I executed it better, but at the moment I'm already unable to devote much time to this. I'll have to come back to earlier chapters and revamp them once I get to a good, "time to rewrite" point. Besides, quite a few of you have pm'd me, explaining why I SHOULDN'T just ax this for a rewrite, so… Yeah, I'll believe you guys. For now.**

**Updates on my writing can be found on my profile now, since things have kinda turned sour. Next chapter is at about 3k words at the moment; I'm slowly but steadily writing. It will be posted on May 17th(hey I actually have a solid date for you guys this time).**


	14. Bitter Confrontations

**Rating****: T**

**A/N****: Holy CRAP. I thought "The Importance of Secrets" was full of drama, but this… This one is even **_**more**_** emotionally charged. Where the hell is my muse taking me? … Well, to be fair, this **_**is**_** labeled "Drama." Also, new poll is up.**

**Speaking of polls, the other one has had enough feedback and I've made my decision. Because most of you didn't really care/don't mind about the Jinchuuriki, I'm not going to focus much on that and will instead focus on the more central characters. However, because quite a few of you actually **_**do**_** want to see the appearances of the Jinchuuriki(though fewer), I've decided to incorporate a few of them—they won't have any groundbreaking roles, but they will make an appearance. Just don't expect much; I'm still researching to try and get a good grasp on their personalities before I have them enter the scene.**

**Word count is ~11k.**

**Disclaimer****: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Bitter Confrontations**

Hatake Kakashi, perpetually late, always with his nose in an Icha Icha book, and completely laid back and uncaring.

That's what most people thought of the man when they saw him around Konoha, these days. During his time in ANBU, people knew him(or his alias, rather) as a cold-hearted killer, a trained assassin, and someone with questionable sanity.

If the man himself were to be completely honest, all of these apply to him in some way—of course, the assumption of him currently was one he rather preferred if he had to make a choice; anyone with a none-too-happy past would rather be seen as a lazy old man than a heartless killer with the blood of innocents on his hands. His past made him feel like that enough as it was.

What most people didn't know, however, was that Kakashi was not nearly as detached from his students as people assumed. Many thought of him as a lazy Jounin, unbefitting his rank or students. Some of his old friends and fellow Jounin thought of him as unstable, thinking that he kept his distance from his students because he was afraid. Again, these two sides had their truths, and the former was one he preferred people to think. So of course, that meant people didn't know about the fact that, for his team meets, Kakashi was actually _always early_… Well, most of the time. Sure, he spent the three-or-more hours following his arrival reading Icha Icha, but sometimes he would take to observing his students as well.

Consider it a… Test, an evaluation, of the sort. It was his method of getting to know his team, however backwards and unusual it was. Kakashi was not a social person and as such wouldn't use actual conversation to get to know a person in most cases. He was a trained Shinobi after all, not a politician; he was much more skilled in hiding and observing than holding friendly conversation(or pseudo friendly) _without_ it ending up being an interrogation. Kami knew that the man was more skilled in interrogation than the art of true, friendly banter.

Anyway. Yes, it was a bit obsessive, yes, it was a bit strange for him to use such a method, but it was the best method in his humble opinion. Especially with students like Uchiha Sasuke, who simply wasn't able to hold a friendly conversation, Haruno Sakura, who's conversations consisted of beauty care, her crush, and gossip, and _Uzumaki Naruto_, who… Well, the blonde was precisely the reason why Kakashi was still using this tactic: he still had yet to get a proper read on the bo—… girl.

This particular day, he had been lounging on the branch of a tree in the training grounds, near the meeting place he and his Genin were supposed to arrive at. Naruto had shown up about thirty minutes early as per the usual, and Kakashi took to observing his recently-revealed-to-be-a-female student.

Nothing was out of the ordinary. She had gone to the base of another tree to start meditating, and remained completely still. Had Kakashi still had his original assumption of her—dead last, idiot, compulsive, _male_—he would have sooner thought she had fallen asleep, as meditation required utmost concentration and the ability to detach oneself from their physical restraints.

Uzumaki Naruto was… Strange.

Well, actually, no. She was actually rather normal, if one were to measure her as a _Jounin_, which was something she _wasn't_. From ability, to perceptiveness, reaction and intelligence, she behaved more like a seasoned Jounin at times as opposed to a newbie Genin.

Kakashi's first assessment of her had been rather simple: dead last, lacking in ability, outgoing and foolhardy. After getting to really know her, however, he came to find that Naruto was anything _but_ simple, lacking in ability, and foolhardy. Not to mention, Naruto was not male like Kakashi had thought, and the fact that she had seemingly pulled the wool over the eyes of the majority of the Shinobi population(he had a feeling the Hokage knew) was enough to indicate that she had a certain level of ability. It was also revealed by Naruto herself; Kakashi had never had any doubts about her gender before that time in the hospital.

He wondered if her ability had to do with Fuuko. No, scratch that; he _knew_ her ability was thanks to Namikaze Fuuko, but therein lied the question: how? How did they meet, how much did Naruto know(about their relation, about her _parents)_ and why? Regardless of relations, why did Fuuko decide to train Naruto? Was it pity? Did the woman have some sort of hidden agenda?

Despite himself, Kakashi felt his heart drop slightly at the thought. Fuuko reminded him of both Minato and Kushina in odd aspects, and her affiliation with them could not be contested. Kakashi was _certain_ that she was loyal to Konoha… But what he was fearful of was the possibility of her loyalty being similar to a certain elder's. Loyal, but a twisted, convoluted sense of the word.

The copy-nin decided that, no, the chances of that were slim, and that his assumptions should be kept as such until he could confirm it. Unconsciously, he spread out his chakra and senses in an attempt to see if the blonde was anywhere nearby; her chakra was similar to Naruto's(they were related, so of course it would be similar) so it was always rather simple for him to find her… When she didn't mind being found.

Kakashi sighed in slight disappointment at the realization that, no, Fuuko wasn't nearby, and most likely wouldn't be coming that day.

He blinked.

… Disappointment?

His brow furrowed, somewhat taken aback by his reaction. It was minute, but a feeling of disappointment nonetheless. He smiled, however, as his thoughts drifted to the few conversations he had had with her. She was surprisingly animated and expressive, even with her mask, much like Kushina. Of course, she was also a dangerous woman that held untold power much like Minato, if her display in Wave was any indication.

His thoughts immediately trailed to the night they were on their way back to Konoha and scowled faintly as he felt his ears heat up somewhat. He had seen her face that night, and though he had been able to act relatively normal when he revealed himself, his heart had jumped up to his throat when he saw her face. She was similar to Minato and Kushina in such a way that their relations could not be debated, and yet… She was startlingly _herself_ as well, for lack of a better description. She wasn't especially beautiful, but…

Kakashi shook his head as he pushed away his thoughts. He didn't want to analyze this odd feeling, though he had suspicions about it. There were too many factors, however; too many other variables that took precedence over the potential of this… Whatever it was. For instance, figuring out exactly what was wrong with his student, who happened to be the daughter of Kakashi's ex-Jounin sensei and the man's wife, both of which he viewed as role models and family.

With a sigh—he had about ten minutes, he guessed—he leapt down from his position in the tree and walked over to Naruto, who was none too surprised by his appearance.

'She knew, then,' he surmised. Not that he hadn't realized this before, but he wanted to make sure. She had stated before that she knew of his habit, knew that he often arrived early or on time and simply lurked around the area as he watched his students, but he hadn't wanted to simply _believe_ that his supposedly Genin student could detect a Jounin while he was suppressing his chakra in such a way that even _ANBU _wouldn't have been able to detect him.

"Yo," he stated casually with a wave, earning him a nod as she opened her eyes and stared at him. It made him twitch, slightly, how similar her blank gaze was to Namikaze Fuuko's. "You're here early."

She dipped her head slightly and gave a small smile. "So are you, Kakashi-sensei."

Naruto leaned back into the tree and stared off into the field, silence descending between them. 'Again,' Kakashi thought quietly. Naruto always had a way to surprise him, lately, and it was completely unnerving. That was likely attributed to the fact that Kakashi hadn't quite yet thrown the impression of "loud-mouth" out of his head, and because she usually switched between silent and out-going, well… It left him feeling off-center, to put it mildly.

She was completely unpredictable, even to a seasoned Jounin with a history in ANBU.

Finally, he coughed, deciding to just go ahead and ask. "… Are there any other secrets you want to tell me?" Kakashi questioned casually, trying to not seem as on-edge as he felt.

Naruto only slid her gaze over to him, almost languidly, and Kakashi repressed the urge to groan. He didn't understand her, at all. Uzumaki Naruto was supposed to be the dead last, but then he realized she was actually much stronger than she let on, possibly on par with a strong Chuunin or a low-level Jounin. She was also supposed to be a _he_, but, well, she was not(she had little reason to lie about that). Naruto was _also_ supposed to be a loud-mouthed brat with endless, unrestrained energy, but she clearly had a handle on her energy and her overall attitude was also much more mature than he had expected.

He managed to hold her gaze for a few moments, and then she looked away.

"… No, Kakashi-sensei, there aren't."

* * *

Outwardly, Naruto was as calm as a still pond as she sat.

Inwardly, she was having an internal war—with herself, and with Kurama, who couldn't seem to make up his _damn mind._

'**Tell him.'** Kurama growled, irritated for a reason Naruto was still unable to place. **'Just trust me on this.'**

'But_ why_? Why are you so damn adamant that I tell him? Why are you trying to get me to broadcast my secrets to _everyone_?' She bristled slightly. 'You always told me to be careful about my secrets before, and now you're telling me to_ just tell everyone_?'

He shook his head. **'… I can't say. Just… Just believe me.'**

She was confused and conflicted enough, and Kurama's sudden change of approach was not only disorienting but irritating. Something clicked, and she sent a mental glare at the fox. '… This has to do with your disappearance a while ago, doesn't it?' He remained silent. 'It _does_, doesn't it? I understand alleviating some of the burden, sharing my knowledge, but where is the boundary? What do I say, and what do I keep to myself? Why are you so insistent, so, so… So _anxious_?'

When Kurama didn't respond, she released a quiet sigh disguised as a deep breath.

She _wanted_ to tell him. She wanted to tell her teammates. She wanted to tell everyone that mattered to her; the full truth, _everything_. She felt guilty, keeping it from them, the people that she considered friends and family—even if they didn't feel the same at this point in time. Of course, she was also wary, worried about the possibility of the wrong people finding out the truth as well, and to a lesser, selfish extent, worried that her precious people wouldn't accept her if they knew. Logically she knew that it was safer to keep the secrets to herself and it was mostly her own selfish wish that other people knew. At the same time, she chided herself for trying to shoulder everything on her own, for thinking herself above needing to rely on others.

Not to mention, Kurama's silence on the matter—on _everything_—unnerved her. She had noticed a change in her seal after Kurama came back, and gave him an earful on _not attempting that again_. To think, he had the gall to pin the entirety of the blame from that fiasco on her. She had her secrets, and so did Kurama, but they were supposed to _work together_ on this, damn it.

"… I see."

She turned back to Kakashi, who gave a small nod. He didn't seem entirely convinced by her response, but was accepting of it nonetheless, to which she was grateful.

It was at that moment that Sakura and Sasuke trailed into the training grounds, both of them seemingly rather shocked that their sensei was already present. As they approached, Kakashi looked as though he were about to speak. Naruto quickly took that chance from him.

"Hey guys! I have an idea!" Sakura and Sasuke turned to her with questioning looks, and Kakashi looked mildly unnerved from her sudden change in demeanor. She ignored it, instead smiling brightly at her two teammates.

"Hi Naruto. What kind of idea?" Sakura questioned, her head tilted to the side.

"Well, since both Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke are still healing, I figured we could do a team exercise."

Kakashi held a hand up in front of Naruto, halting her words before she could continue. "Maa, Naruto, I already had something planned for you guys," he had his usual eye-smile in place. "If you wanted to do something else, perhaps you should have brought it up with me before."

She sent an equally fake smile up at the copy-nin. "Well, I'm asking now. It won't take too long, I promise, Kakashi-sensei."

He stared at her for what felt like hours before relenting, combing a hand through his hair as his shoulders slumped in defeat. "… Fine. Let's hear it."

"Okay!" She immediately wiped the faux happiness from her tone and expression, settling into the serious look she had earlier. Her team was still unaccustomed to her abrupt changes, apparently, if their surprised looks were any indication. "We've had some time to get to know each other, wouldn't you guys agree?" Kakashi shrugged, Sakura nodded after glancing at her sensei and male teammate, and Sasuke "hn'd." Naruto grinned from where she sat, motioning for everyone to take a seat around her. "How about we each say what we know about each other, yeah? Kakashi-sensei can go first, since he's the oldest."

For a few moments, the other members of Team seven merely stared at her. She shrugged, looking pointedly at Kakashi. "… Well?"

The copy-nin sighed, nodding as he sat down. Sakura and Sasuke settled into the grass as well, turning to Kakashi with expectant looks. He scratched his chin contemplatively and turned to Sakura first. "Haruno Sakura. Pink hair, green eyes. Graduated as the top Kunoichi of her year. Tends to get… Distracted, in missions. High intelligence and adaptability, good chakra control, and a headstrong personality. Willingness to learn, though sometimes bullheaded about certain topics."

He turned to Sasuke, who narrowed his eyes as though challenging the man to give an unsatisfactory report. Kakashi was unperturbed. "Uchiha Sasuke. Black hair and eyes. High marks in all areas except teamwork in the Academy. A quick learner with fast reflexes, though difficult to work with in most cases."

When he turned to Naruto, he paused for a short moment before beginning, seemingly measuring the blonde. Had she not been looking for it, she wouldn't have noticed the brief hesitation. "… Uzumaki Naruto. Blonde hair, with a penchant for orange. Seems to be much stronger than anticipated, despite having graduated as the dead last of her year." He shrugged, shaking his head. "There is literally nothing else I am certain of in regards to you." His only visible eye clearly spoke differently as he glanced at Naruto, but she ignored it.

The blonde only shrugged, turning to Sakura. "You next."

The pinkette flinched slightly, but nodded, turning to Kakashi first. "Um… Hatake Kakashi, also known as Sharingan no Kakashi. Jounin of Konoha, um… Knows a lot of Ninjutsu," she mumbled, trying to grasp at what she knew of the man. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she pointed an accusing finger at him. "Also reads porn in public!"

A small silence descended, and Naruto coughed to get Sakura to focus again. The pinkette blushed as she settled back down, turning to Sasuke next. "U-Uchiha Sasuke. Rookie of the year, well-liked by lots of people." Her eyes wandered, clearly unnerved by the assessing gaze the Uchiha leveled her with. "Knows Katon Ninjutsu, uses a specialized Taijutsu. Wants to kill a certain man." The last statement was spoken just above a whisper, and before the boy could react, she turned to Naruto.

"… Uzumaki Naruto," she began. "… Different from what I—what we thought. A girl like me, for one. Understanding. Helpful. Strong." Her eyes darted to the side and she whispered. "… Wronged."

Naruto was surprised at how affected Sakura seemed to be, how much respect the girl seemed to have for her. It was somewhat disappointing that it was a distant kind of respect, unlike the sibling relationship Naruto once had with the pinkette, but it was still far better than the animosity Sakura once held for her. She nodded, turning to Sasuke next, who grunted in response.

He turned to Kakashi with narrowed eyes. "Hatake Kakashi. Jounin of Konoha. Has a _Sharingan _left eye. Rumored to know over a thousand Jutsu, and was one of the youngest Shinobi to be placed in the bingo book." Naruto wondered where he found _that _out. "Considered one of the strongest Jounin in Konoha, and is feared by friend and foe alike." He paused. "… Reads porn in public." Naruto had to withhold the laughter that threatened to bubble forth. She couldn't tell if Sasuke had purposefully added that to alleviate the serious atmosphere(she refused to believe that _Sasuke_ was actually trying to lift the mood) with that last comment.

Sasuke glanced to Naruto, seemingly knowing that she had found it amusing. He then turned his attention to Sakura, who had adopted the habit of playing with the hem of her dress out of nervousness, apparently. "Haruno Sakura. Graduated the Academy as Kunoichi of the year. Over all, weak." Naruto winced at the deflated look Sakura took. "… But, improving. Has high potential to become a medic-nin, apparently, and has good chakra control." Sakura seemed to regain some color at the mention, and Naruto sent the girl a bright smile.

The Uchiha then turned to Naruto, an indiscernible look in place. "… Uzumaki Naruto. Graduated the dead last of our year. Stronger than first believed, and apprenticed to Namikaze Fuuko." His eyes narrowed. "… Wants to become Hokage, but apparently has a few people that need to be 'erased' first."

Naruto murmured a small curse as everyone turned to her at the mention. She _knew_ saying that much might reveal too much and that it would come back to bite her in the ass at a later date, and yet, she still said it.

"… Who?" Everyone turned to Sasuke again, who's gaze was solely on Naruto. "Who are these people that you need to kill?"

The blonde sighed, her thoughts drifting off to the Chuunin Exams. Orochimaru wasn't one of the people originally on that list, but what else was she supposed to do? Was she to kill him? Let him live? Surprisingly, the thought of offing the slimy bastard wasn't difficult in the slightest sense for her to think about. In the past, she never had to kill someone, not exactly. She had only ever killed a few times before, and that was during her time as ANBU in the Genjutsu. Even with the blood of random strangers(that also happened to be mere illusions) that she didn't know, it still felt irrevocably wrong at the time…

And yet, the thought of killing Orochimaru? Nothing.

Perhaps it was because she still had hope that Sasuke wouldn't defect. And perhaps it was also because she realized that, in a way, Orochimaru was the cause for so much death and destruction, through Sasuke.

'… **You're too focused on the Uchiha brat. I thought you promised that you wouldn't drop everything just to save him?'**

Naruto closed her eyes. 'I… I know I did. And I'm not. The Chuunin Exams are going to happen soon, and if you recall, they quite literally revolved around Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Gaara.' Gaara wasn't going to show up anytime soon and he had actually turned out alright the first time around. There was no worry of him betraying his village to follow after some sick bastard the moment she took her eyes off of him; that worry lay with Sasuke. She needed to do whatever she could to keep Sasuke from defecting this time around, while she still had the time.

"… Yes," she finally began, "yes I have people that I need to destroy, people that need to be killed."

Sakura bit her lip. "… But why? Was it…" She turned to Sasuke, who was focused completely on Naruto.

"No." Naruto's voice was curt as she spoke. "It's complicated. They need to be stopped, erased before they are able to enact their plans."

"What plans?" It was Kakashi who asked, and though his relaxed posture indicated boredom, the tone of his voice betrayed any sort of inattentiveness. "And complicated in what way? Why exactly do _you_ have to be the one to 'erase' them?"

Naruto shook her head, a small frown in place. "They… Are extremely dangerous. I don't know much about them right now," that was not a lie, she didn't know what the Akatsuki did at this point in time, "but I do know that they pose a major threat."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "So… It's more because you're scared of what they might do, even though they haven't done anything?"

"Oh, no, they've all _done something_ alright," Naruto growled lowly, startling everyone present. "That's the reason why I know _exactly_ how threatening they are, what they are capable of. Destroying villages and continents would be mere _child's play_ for some of them."

She suppressed a wince at the way Kakashi's eyes narrowed at her little proclamation. No doubt, he wondered how truthful her words were, and if they were of note, _how _a _Genin_ got such information was definitely a factor. Had she kept her idiot/dead last guise, her words might have been over-looked as the foolhardy dreaming and extreme ambitions of a child. Even though there was very little she would have been able to do at this point had she kept it—regarding the team dynamics, how much she could interfere in the timeline, _everything_—she wasn't quite sure if she would've preferred to have kept that guise, if only for this very moment.

In her mind scape, Kurama rolled his eyes, and she sent him a mental glare accompanied with a firm statement of, 'you're not helping.'

"Anyway," Naruto coughed, clearing her throat. "It's my turn isn't it?" She pushed away her hesitance, looking at each of her teammates with a serious gaze. "Before I begin, I want you guys to understand something: what I am about to tell you is meant to open your eyes, not make you bury yourselves further into whatever barrier you may have. What I say may be harsh, may be construed as unnecessary, but it is meant to help point out flaws." Her teammates exchanged a few looks, of both nervousness and skepticism.

When Naruto received nods from her team, she looked at Kakashi, inwardly preparing herself for the veritable shitstorm she was about to incur.

"… Hatake Kakashi. Graduated the Academy at five, and became a Chuunin at six. Became apprenticed to the Yondaime at a young age. Entered Namikaze Minato's team cell along with two others, an aspiring medic-nin and an Uchiha. Age thirteen when the Uchiha died, giving him the Sharingan he currently holds today, and not long after watched as the medic-nin died in front of him." She took a deep breath, pointedly ignoring her shocked teammates and Kakashi out of fear of his reaction. She knew that what she was doing was terribly insensitive, but he was their sensei. This was necessary, and surely the man could take it. "After his sensei died during the Kyuubi attack, he entered ANBU, where he stayed for several years until he took on a Genin team—us. The attitude we see currently is his attempt to hide the emotional scarring he suffered from years of pain and loss."

She quickly turned to Sakura. "Haruno Sakura. First generation Kunoichi. Bullied at a young age for the size of her forehead." The girl squeaked in surprise at this. "Became friends with Yamanaka Ino until their rivalry over Sasuke created a rift between them. Is both strong and weak at the same time, affected by the "feminine" ideals she has set for herself. Has the potential to become an even better medic-nin than Tsunade of the Sannin, but is too blinded by her crush and lack of proper drive."

"Uchiha Sasuke. Second son to the Uchiha clan head. At the age of eight, witnessed first-hand the betrayal of his brother, Uchiha Itachi, the perpetrator of the Uchiha Massacre." Sasuke stiffened, but Naruto ignored the action. She kept her face and reactions carefully blank. "Decided to become an avenger to chase after his brother in order to kill him as revenge for slaughtering the clan. This ideal leaves him blinded and incapable of truly seeing the_ truth_."

She finally breathed, looking at each of the people present. Kakashi had an indiscernible look, but there was clear and underlying pain present. Sakura was biting her lip and obviously frustrated. Sasuke's eyes were shadowed by his bangs, and he was trembling—most likely from a mix of rage and fear.

Naruto's brow furrowed as she looked away, refusing to let the almost immediate regret take hold of her. She knew the little "talk" would have adverse effects, but she had to do it. For Kakashi, it was in preparation for the truth about Obito which may be revealed sooner than later, at the rate she was going. For Sasuke, it was a similar situation; he needed to know the truth before he himself killed Itachi and then lived a life of regret that his own brother's blood was on his hands. For Sakura, it was to prepare her for the future's hardships that would be present, all thanks to her mentally screwed-up teammates. The blonde knew that she was probably going to need to explain how she knew so much—especially in Kakashi's case—but she could probably attribute most of it to the rumor mill. Worst case scenario, she could reveal that she knew that her father was Minato, and expand from there—say that she found out that Kakashi was his student, and promptly began to research more on the matter.

Finally, Kakashi sighed. "… We don't have a mission today," he stated quietly as he stood up. "You can all go home, consider it a day-off. We'll meet here again tomorrow."

Naruto ignored the guilt that welled up as Sakura and Sasuke trudged away in the directions of their homes, the latter completely despondent and stiff in his movements. Inwardly, she wondered if she had made the right choice. Was it really such a good idea to reveal so much? Did it only _seem_ like a good idea at the time because of her wish to tell the truth, the full truth? Logically, she knew that this was necessary, that her team needed this push in preparation for the Chuunin Exams. But emotionally speaking she was completely uncertain, and while a "push" was necessary, she felt as though she had instead metaphorically stabbed each of her teammates.

She only hoped that tomorrow would see better results.

* * *

The next day, Naruto decided to have a clone attend the team meet as she arrived as Fuuko. She wasn't quite up to being the potential object of her team's ire and hatred, not while she already felt somewhat insecure about the whole ordeal.

She was pleasantly surprised, however, to see them acting… Relatively normal.

Kakashi was more or less his usual self, and seemed somewhat happier to see Fuuko there as well. Sakura was quieter, but didn't send glances of utter hatred to Naruto as she had first assumed. Sasuke was… Broody. But that was normal.

The real differences began to surface when Kakashi put Sakura to the side to study her Iryo-ninjutsu, Sasuke to work on his Taijutsu… And Naruto to just stand there with Fuuko. The blonde frowned, watching as her team attempted to handle their assigned tasks. Sakura was clearly distracted—she had been on the same page of her book for the last thirty-minutes. Sasuke occasionally tripped—he _tripped_—while rehearsing some of the katas. Kakashi had his Icha Icha book in front of his face, as usual, but from the trajectory of his eyes(and the fact that he hadn't flipped the pages in a while) he was staring instead at the grass before him. Fuuko's frown became a scowl as the slight regret began welling up again.

But what could she do? She couldn't just tell them to forget about what she had said the other day; what was done was done, and trying to get them to ignore the rather insensitive approach she had taken would likely only offend them.

"Hey, boss," Fuuko glanced down at her clone, which had a decidedly mischievous look on it's face. Fuuko raised an eyebrow. "Their broody looks are getting annoying, wouldn't you agree?"

The taller blonde narrowed her eyes, but nodded slowly nonetheless. She knew that look, it was one she often wore in her younger years when planning a particularly nefarious prank. "… Yes. What exactly are you planning?"

The clone's smile grew to a menacing grin and she hopped away to the rest of Team Seven. "Hey guys! You're all acting annoyingly broody, ya know that?"

Sakura bristled. "I'm not acting broody, I'm just studying—"

"Yeah yeah," the clone waved a hand dismissively, grin still in place. "You guys must be bored, though, so I figured… Do you wanna see something cool!?"

Before anyone could say anything—scoff, tell her to shut up,_ anything_—the clone-Naruto held her hands up in the Ram seal. Fuuko was betwixt anticipation for the potential of a good laugh, and worry for the possibility of the results only having adverse effects.

The brief second of time spent deliberating was wasted, however, as the clone channeled her chakra and shouted, "Oiroke no Jutsu!"

The reactions were instantaneous.

Kakashi dropped his book and a suspicious red spot formed on his mask. Sakura's eyes went wider than dinner plates and she jumped up in horror. Sasuke froze completely, a prominent red spreading across his face.

The clone dropped to her knees and clutched her stomach, the laughter obviously proving too much for her to handle. Fuuko walked over to her clone and let out her own barely restrained laughter as she took in her teammate's reactions. It was strange, really, how differently her clones acted from her sometimes, but she was thankful for the change. While she acted as the war-hardened Hokage, her clones always had that childish element to them that left her feeling rather nostalgic at times. In all honesty, using the Oiroke no Jutsu wouldn't have been the first idea to come to mind to try and cheer up her teammates—as she had been worried that it would be a pointless endeavor—but her clone had done just that. And it worked. It actually _worked_.

"Um. Fuuko..?" The addressed blonde turned to Kakashi, who's ears were dusted a light red and who was making an effort to not look at the clone. There was something strangely gratifying about being able to throw the supposedly aloof Jounin Hatake Kakashi and the Uchiha survivor off kilter like this, though she felt somewhat sorry for Sakura.

Fuuko snorted quietly, shaking her head. "Yes, Kakashi?"

He cleared his throat, looking away from Fuuko herself, now, the red finally disappearing. "… Don't you think that it's a little…" He glanced to the clone again, causing another wave of light-red to flush on his face. "… Similar?"

Fuuko turned sharply to her clone, which went ramrod straight at the mention. The original blonde looked carefully at her clone, eyes narrowed. It was true, and she hadn't noticed before, but the face structure, the body shape, everything was awfully similar. If anything, perhaps the clone's bust-size was somewhat exaggerated, waist was thinner, and the face was more… Angelic? "Cute?" And, of course, there were the whisker marks. Other than those minute differences, however, the Oiroke no Jutsu was _shockingly_ similar to what Naruto looked like at an older age. Similar to what _Fuuko_ looked like.

She silently noted that she had to be more wary about the similarities. If she wasn't careful, particularly astute individuals might be able to clue into the fact that Namikaze Fuuko was not a relative of Uzumaki Naruto's—Fuuko _was_ Naruto. They would be more apt to believe that Naruto had fashioned the Oiroke no Jutsu after Fuuko(maybe they'd think that the "younger" blonde idolized the older) before making the true connection, but it was a possibility nonetheless. The more important connection they could make would be that Naruto and Fuuko looked far too similar to be distant cousins connected through the Uzumaki bloodline, would think about Fuuko's surname, connect the dots, realize that Naruto had Namikaze blood, and it would only spiral from there. If anyone ever acquired a sample of "Fuuko's" blood, she would quite literally be doomed since it was impossible to alter one's blood when it's being tested against a machine. Chakra was one thing; it was a matter of allowing Kurama's own chakra to flow into her network or not, and that usually provided enough of a difference for people to simply think she was a relation to Naruto—herself.

Point was, with particularly sharp individuals such as Danzou in Konoha, she couldn't be too careful. She didn't detect any Root ANBU nearby so she wasn't _too_ worried. Still…

The blonde turned to the rest of Team Seven, wondering about the extent of the damage incurred. Sasuke was turned around, looking at something apparently _very interesting _over in the treeline. Kakashi was looking pointedly at the grass, apparently finding something interesting there too. Sakura had her hands covering her face, though her eyes were wide and visible through her fingers as she stared on, a red even darker than her dress.

Fuuko shrugged as the worry dissipated, a smile tugging at her lips.

Hey, at least it lifted the mood.

* * *

"Oi, brat, wait!"

Naruto froze in her tracks. She had just left her team a little while ago, after they completed another D-Rank(weeding a garden this time), and was somewhat happy that the somewhat happy mood had persisted ever since her clone had decided to use the Oiroke no Jutsu on them. She switched with her clone, who went to Fuuko's apartment to dispel while Naruto herself headed to her home, presumably to eat, sleep, or do some other menial task.

This, however, she had not expected.

She turned slowly, not betraying her rather true and not-at-all-forced hesitation, and made an attempt to look convincingly confused as a familiar head of spiky white hair came into view.

He walked up to her as she stared up at him wide-eyed. He looked exactly as he had before, not a hair out of place. Exactly as he had before he… Immediately, her eyes glazed over and darkened as she battled with the unbidden memory she had received from the Rikudou Sennin, of the _very moment_ of this man's death.

"… Er, so, I wanted to ask…" She snapped out of her quickly darkening thoughts at the interjection. "Is there, well, a _reason_ why you've been avoiding me…?"

Naruto stared up at him as he scratched the back of his head with a nervous chuckle, a tentative and uncertain smile on his face. He looked between worried and almost fearful, no doubt from the fact that his Godchild had avoided him and seemingly begun to hate him. A strange anger bubbled forth from the thought; _hate_ was something she could feel for the man before her. She wanted to hug him, to tell him that he was someone that she held closest in her heart. That she _knew_, now, that what they had was much more than a mere mentorship, that it was the closest thing to a _family_ that she had ever experienced. That she would _never_ let him go a second time, that she would make sure that she wouldn't lose her _Godfather_ a second time.

She couldn't, though. Not if she didn't want to end up being saddled with a rather lengthy and difficult explanation over a subject that she was still uncertain about divulging to anyone.

"Kid?" Once again, Naruto was wrenched from her thoughts. She slowly shook her head; it seemed that she had developed a rather unsavory habit.

"No," she mumbled slightly as she recalled his question, carefully averting her eyes. She wished she had time to prepare for this—well, actually, she supposed that she _did_ have time, but she kept putting it off since it always brought up one of the biggest and damaging impacts in her life before the war—officially meeting her Godfather for the second time after having mourned him before was not a particularly easy experience.

Jiraiya looked unconvinced. "Oh really?"

Naruto nodded, a carefully blank expression on her face. "Yes."

She was startled slightly when a broad grin stretched across the man's face then. "Well, then surely you wouldn't mind if we went out to eat some _ramen _together, eh?"

The blonde frowned, repressing the urge to groan in exasperation. If she didn't know him as well as she did, she would think he was some creepy, old, paedophilic man. "… I don't follow weird pedophiles, it's bad," was what she settled for. She was barely able to hide her amusement at the indignant splutter her light jab earned her.

"Wha—no, I-I'm not a—but RAMEN!" He exclaimed, flailing his arms around as though his reasoning was perfectly acceptable. Which it was, since Naruto actually knew him, but it wasn't as if _he_ knew that.

She couldn't help it. She broke down into a fit of giggles, causing the white-haired toad sage to abruptly halt his showy display, only to glare at the blonde when he realized the truth. The tip of his nose and cheeks colored slightly. "You… You little punk."

Naruto grinned up at him, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. "You're treating me to ramen, or I'm gonna shout that I'm being abducted by a pedo."

Jiraiya let out a snort—it sounded both of amusement and insult—before walking in the direction of the ramen house. Naruto followed after him, deciding to play up the act of not-knowing the man. "Hey, ero-oyaji, who are you, anyway?"

"E-ERO-OYAJI!?" The Sannin exclaimed, looking scandalized—Naruto smiled as she foresaw what was going to happen next. "I'm the hermit of Mount Myoboku, the great Gama Sennin!" He shifted his arms, spreading his feet so they were shoulder-width apart. The only thing missing was a toad to complete his little performance. "I am no ordinary pervert! I am the Great Jiraiya, a Super Pervert!"

The blonde shrugged, pushing away the unbidden nostalgia(and the slight sadness that accompanied it) as they entered the familiar hole-in-the-wall restaurant that served the best ramen ever. "Teuchi-jjiisan! Two bowls of Miso ramen, please!"

The elderly ramen shop owner turned around, a bright smile in place as he recognized Naruto. "Naruto! I haven't seen you in a while, are you sure you only want two bowls?"

Naruto grinned as she sat down, Jiraiya taking the seat to her left. "I'm sure, after all, I don't want Ero_sennin_," she jerked her thumb at the now-dumbfounded Jiraiya, "to leave here with a huge debt."

Teuchi cast a quick assessing glance towards Jiraiya before nodding, laughing heartily as the man mouthed the new nickname that Naruto had labeled him with. As the ramen-house owner got to work, Naruto turned to Jiraiya with a casual glance. "So…" The white-haired Sannin turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "Why did it matter if I was avoiding you, Erosennin?"

Jiraiya started slightly, glancing to the narrowed eyes of Teuchi. "Er, well, I had a reason, see."

"And what would that reason be?" The blonde questioned innocently, smiling as Teuchi passed over the bowls of steaming ramen.

The toad sage scratched his cheek, obviously at a loss for words. Naruto had split her chopsticks and taken her first gulp of food when she finally decided to show pity on the man. "It's okay, Erosennin," she whispered so that only he could hear. "Though, I would have preferred it if my _Godfather_ had come for me sooner."

She shrugged as Jiraiya choked on air, patting him lightly on the back. He turned to her with wide-eyes, seemingly trying to say something, but she continued before he could regain his bearings. "I know, you probably have your reasons. I don't mind, I really don't," she gave him a sad smile before turning back to her food. She really didn't mind, not anymore. It had been painful the first time she found out, that the man she saw as a father figure, her shishou, had never told her that they had yet another connection—he was her _godfather_. It had left her feeling bitter in the weeks after finding this particular fact out, and coupled with the grief of losing the man, she was… Tired. Ultimately, she resolved that he had his reasons, perhaps her sunshine blonde hair had been too similar to her father's, a man that Jiraiya had almost seen as a son. Overall, she had just been glad that she had even met the man, glad that she had so many happy memories with him. Their time together was cut ruefully short the first time around, however, and the pain from that fact still haunted her today.

But she was here, now. She had another chance, and she was going to make absolutely _certain _that she didn't lose this man again, she wasn't going to let him sacrifice himself a _second_ time. She felt her eyes tear up slightly—from happiness, sorrow, she honestly didn't know anymore—and mindlessly lifted a hand to wipe away the building moisture.

A hand making harsh contact with her back snapped her abruptly out of her musings, almost making her shove the bamboo utensil in her hand down her throat. She turned to glare at Jiraiya, but any anger immediately left her when she saw his earnest expression.

"Naruto… Nothing I say could ever right the fact that I wasn't there for you," he began, making it strangely difficult for the blonde to breathe. He sent her a cheeky grin, so painfully similar to the ones he gave her back when she had truly been a child—before she had lost everything once. "But I can make it up to you. I'm the great Gama Sennin, after all, you couldn't ask for a better shishou than me!"

Naruto wasn't quite sure what she was more surprised about—the fact that he had willingly volunteered himself to be her shishou this time around(maybe all it took was a reminder that he was her Godfather?) or the fact that he wasn't questioning her on exactly _how_ she knew about him. Regardless, she was too happy… Her heart felt strangely full, and she couldn't bring herself to worry about that at that particular moment.

She beamed at him before diving into her ramen with renewed vigor, smiling through the noodles at the hearty laughter her godfather emitted at the action.

* * *

Jiraiya stood in front of the Hokage tower, a stern look on his features.

His meeting with Naruto had been… _Enlightening_, to say the least. The boy was far different from what Jiraiya had heard mostly through the rumor mill, far less like the out-going, prankster dead-last that many apparently saw him as. Certainly, the boy had his moments; he seemed outgoing and childish at times, but that was to be expected of someone his age. However, there was that underlying air of danger, that raw _power_ and _intelligence_ far beyond the average that could leave enemies quivering in fear. He was just like his father in that regard; Namikaze Minato similarly hid behind a mask of tomfoolery—though his was more of the "weak and wimpy" facade, but still, same purpose, same hidden strength. On a similar tangent, another thing that caught his attention almost immediately was the fact that Naruto seemed to know about their relation. His eyes narrowed. Exactly _how much_ did Naruto know, though? There was so little that Jiraiya had truly known about his student's son, his _godchild_, and it left him thoroughly ashamed—this boy was his family in all but blood, and he, a _spymaster_, knew _nothing_ about the boy.

Belatedly, he realized it was really only his fault that he knew so little about Naruto. He was constantly traveling, and as such, it was difficult for Hiruzen to contact him without the help of the toad summons(which only worked when it was Jiraiya who initiated the contact). He almost only ever sent messages back to Konoha when it was involving his spy network, and never particularly inquired about Naruto's state. Not to mention, he had made it a sort of habit to stay away from Konoha as much as possible, since he had been forbidden from making direct contact with Naruto until the boy became a legal Shinobi of Konoha.

Jiraiya scowled. He never liked the council, but the fact that his sensei had actually allowed such a restriction to be approved aggravated him to no end. He understood the old man's reasoning, of course, but the more sentimental side of him said that it was _his_ responsibility to take care of Naruto. Of course, they had rejected the very idea; saying that Jiraiya had a duty to Konoha as the spymaster, and that he could not take the _Jinchuuriki_ with him out of Konoha. When he had presented the rather logical argument that, he was _also_ a seal master _and_ a _Sannin_(as such would be the best candidate to look after the Jinchuuriki, inside the village or not), they promptly went ahead and dared to say that Jiraiya would taint the boy with his unsavory literature.

Hypocrites; calling Naruto a demon when it suited them, and pulling the innocent-boy card just the same. The white-haired Sannin had refuted the foolish claim, saying that, if nothing else, they should be happy that he was willing to take the Jinchuuriki out of the village. How it pained him to refer to his godchild, Minato's _son_ in such a detached and borderline insulting manner, but it worked. Well, it almost did, until the old warhawk had to step in and make a valid point; the Jinchuuriki shouldn't leave the village, not when the Kyuubi was Konoha's strongest line of defense should things go wrong. There was also the fact that there was a near constant competition for the Bijuu, and enemy nations targeting the _strongest_ of them all was something to be expected—Konoha had_ quite_ a history of that happening.

At that point, there had been little Jiraiya could do. He had figured that he could at least visit his godchild—as far as he was concerned, that was his _right_. However, the council had stripped him of that, even—Kakashi too, in part; neither of them were to openly interact with the _Jinchuuriki_ until he was a certified Shinobi. It was Danzou who had laid down this rule, as he was one of the few in the circle that knew of Naruto's true heritage. The rest of the council, however ignorant they were to the true situation, still went along with Danzou's odd statement without contesting it.

Jiraiya shook his head. That didn't matter now, since Naruto _was_ a certified Shinobi of Konoha now, a Genin. Heck, the kid had been placed on Kakashi's team, and that meant that Jiraiya himself was no longer held back by Danzou's restrictions.

Besides, there were other things that took precedence.

The Sannin leapt onto the tiles of the Hokage tower, nodding once when he confirmed that his sensei was in. How did Naruto know that Jiraiya was his godfather? Did he know who his parents were? And if that was the case, _why wasn't Jiraiya allowed to take care of him sooner_?

He swiftly slid open the window, plastering a faux smile on his face as his sensei turned to him. "Yo, Sensei. I think we need to have a small _talk_."

* * *

Naruto had been in a rather good mood after finally seeing her godfather again and actually _speaking_ to him. She should have realized that her brief elation wouldn't last for long.

When Naruto arrived at her home, she was greeted by the sight of one Uchiha Sasuke leaning against her door, hands in his pockets, staring blankly at the ground in front of him. The blonde knew that, whatever the Uchiha was there for, it couldn't end well—never did "conversations" with the boy, especially ones _he_ initiated, ever end with a simple smile and a handshake. No, they usually ended with both of them in the hospital with critical wounds, and the fact that _he_ deigned to come to find _her_ already spoke volumes about what he likely needed to talk about. Only the most dire of situations would make_ Sasuke_ decide that he had to speak with someone.

With a mental sigh in preparation, Naruto closed the distance between them before bending minutely to look up into the blank eyes of her teammate. "Any reason why you're standing in front of my door, Sasuke?"

The raven jumped slightly before scowling, apparently not having detected her until she was right in front of him. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "… Well?"

"… I need to talk to you," Sasuke finally said, his eyes seemingly trying to bore a hole into her forehead.

The blonde shrugged, motioning for him to move. "Fine. Let me go in and—"

"No need," he interrupted, and continued at Naruto's skeptical look. "Let's go to the training field."

Naruto suppressed a groan. Of course. Her teammate _always_ wanted to settle things in a virile display of power… Or perhaps he actually had some forethought, realizing that whatever he was about to say would likely end up with the two of them battling it out? Maybe he was doing her a favor so her home wouldn't get trashed?

… Yeah, no, she highly doubted that. _Sasuke_ and _considerate_ were two words that didn't go in the same sentence.

With an amused shrug, she grabbed Sasuke's arm and Shunshin'd them to the nearest training field, feeling some odd form of gratification that the boy reeled slightly as soon as they landed. Payback, in a way, for all the times the Sasuke she knew did that to her.

She snorted at the light glare the Uchiha sent her before motioning for him to speak. "So… You wanted to talk." She crossed her arms. "What about?"

Sasuke paused, before straightening as the nausea from the technique slowly dissipated. "… You said that you had… That you had people that you wanted to kill. You've told me before that our ambitions, while similar, aren't the same." He looked at Naruto—his stare was strangely lacking in the competitive and hateful emotions that were usually present. Instead, he looked strangely… relaxed, curious, even. "… That there are more important things to worry about."

The blonde gave a small smile; maybe this wouldn't be so bad. She only shrugged, her smile growing wider at the grunt of irritation the noncommittal gesture earned her.

Sasuke turned away, looking at the expanse of the clearing. "You… You know. I don't know how, but you know…" His eyes drifted downwards to the grass. "… My brother. That man killed the… The entire clan. In one night. Ever since then, it's been my ambition to pay him back, to give him retribution for what he's done."

The lapsed into silence, and Naruto turned away from him, looking at the tree-line. "… You're opening up, and I can guess why. You probably think that our methods are similar… It's not." Sasuke turned to her with a frown.

"I know that. That's what I want to know; what makes it different? We both need to kill to—"

"I've told you before, Sasuke, my will to become stronger isn't just to kill them, and I don't want them dead just because they wronged me." She turned to him, meeting her azure orbs with his onyx eyes—they weren't as warm as they had been in the Genjutsu, but not as cold as they had been after Itachi's initial death. She gave him a rueful smile. "The reason for me needing to kill? It's to protect."

Sasuke's brow furrowed—in confusion or distaste, she wasn't sure. "… To protect? Protect what?"

Naruto chuckled, mirth shining in her eyes. "To protect everyone I care about, of course," she stated in a tone that implied that it was obvious—which is was. She jabbed a finger in the raven's chest and smiled brightly. "Including you."

The raven was now completely scowling, and he gently pushed her hand away. "… I don't need to be protected."

Naruto shook her head. "How can you be so sure?"

"I just don't. I don't need bonds—" He paused, a look of hesitation crossing his face, before his gaze hardened again. "I don't need to be protected."

"Yes you do."

Naruto hopped back from the punch that as directed at her midsection, just barely evading the attack. Sasuke charged—surprisingly focused and controlled, unlike his spars with Fuuko—and aimed a kick at the blonde's head. She tilted her head to avoid it, deflecting the following hook and attempt to grab her arm. There was no exchange in this game(it could hardly be considered a spar), as Naruto was set on dodging as her teammate performed offensive maneuvers in the hopes of finally landing a hit. His control and focus started to dwindle, and frustration grew more evident with each failed attempt to lure the blonde into retaliating.

"Take me seriously," Sasuke finally hissed as he swept a kick under the blonde, who jumped to easily avoid the attack. "_Stop_ fooling around. You're looking down on—"

He was abruptly cut off, as Naruto slammed her elbow into his jugular—sending him flying in a mock attempt at a reversed lariat. She quickly Shunshin'd behind him before he landed in the grass, kicked his legs out from behind him and landed a heel in his midsection.

Sasuke emitted a wet cough as his form bounced off of the ground from the impact and made an attempt to recover, but suddenly found with a start that he couldn't move. Naruto stood over him, looking down at him laying spread eagle in defeat. The was pure frustration and anger evident in his eyes, and he quickly averted his narrowed gaze.

"… Why?" He bit out caustically, spitting out some blood in the process. "Why were _you_ trained? What is _different_?"

Inwardly, Naruto sighed. She knew that he was talking about Fuuko, thinking about how she rejected his plea to have her train him. Perhaps it was an ill-appropriate move for Naruto to make, defeating her teammate so completely in a fashion that was similar to his first defeat to her persona. She had seen progress in the boy's attitude, and decided last minute that a harsher route would be the best way to get him to understand. While it instead ended up with adverse effects, it wasn't as though Sasuke was completely despondent and ignoring her, meaning she still had a chance.

"Sasuke." He didn't respond, looking pointedly to the side. "_Sasuke_," Naruto repeated, in a more commanding tone. She released the binding seal she had inconspicuously placed on the boy and offered him a hand as he turned to her.

He stared at the offered appendage for a few moments, clearly debating whether or not to take it or to slap it away. Finally he sighed, grabbing her hand as she hoisted him up from the ground. He winced at the pain in his stomach, and his eyes—while no longer as hateful, still had clear irritation and frustration evident. _Disappointment._

"… Why are you so strong?" He grumbled as he wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth, seemingly convinced that the blonde wouldn't hear him.

Naruto took a deep breath, deciding that she may as well stick with her initial plan. Kami knew she may never get another chance like this, while her teammate actually seemed to be listening to her. "… Let me ask you a few questions, Sasuke. Are you strong Sasuke?" They locked eyes again, and Naruto continued. "Are you courageous? Or are you a weak coward?"

Sasuke scowled, but before he could answer, she continued. "Why do you want to kill your brother?" He looked at her with no small amount of incredulity.

"Why do you _think_?" He nearly sneered, but the action was noticeably less venomous than it could have been. "He killed my clan, he killed my _entire family_."

Naruto crossed her arms. "And?"

"… _And?_" Sasuke repeated, disbelieving. His eyes flickered with hatred, again. "What do you mean, 'and?' He _murdered_ my family in cold blood, of _course_ I'm going to want to—"

"Out of curiosity," Naruto interrupted, earning her a scathing glare from the raven. "Do you know _why_ he killed them? Do you know what caused him to do so?"

Sasuke emitted a low growl, his shoulders tense as though readying for a battle. "I don't need to tell _you_—"

"Now you're just being a brat," Naruto commented, inwardly remarking, 'and I'm the idiot prodding the hornet's nest.' "You've already told me quite a bit, and I _know_ most of what happened. Humor me."

Her teammate held his acerbic glare for a few tense moments before relaxing minutely, giving in. The blonde, while expectant of this, was still rather shocked at how accommodating he was being—or at least, attempting to be. "… He wanted to test his power. It was all in an effort to become stronger, and he just wanted to test his limits."

"Pfft. Guess what? According to you, your reasons are pretty damn similar," Naruto commented.

Her statement was not well-received. Sasuke's carefully crafted calm shattered immediately, and for a moment he just stared. Then, his face twisted into a foul snarl, his canines bared slightly. "… _What_? You actually—Just… _What?_ How is it similar!? They're not—"

"Your goals are all wrong, Sasuke," Naruto stated with a sigh, knowing that she was at the point of no return. If she walked away without explaining herself, she would only have the animosity of her teammate for the rest of her life. It was also very well possible that she would only make things worse from here on out, but she had to at least try; giving up without even trying was _not_ a concept she was well acquainted with.

Nor was it something she _cared_ to become well acquainted with.

"You want power because, what? To become strong. To kill your brother. But then what? Once you've become strong, what then? Once you've _killed your brother_, what _then?_ According to you, his reasoning was in a blind pursuit of power. Your reason is in a blind pursuit of revenge." Her gaze hardened as she contested his glare with her own. "Considering your clan is supposed to _see the future_, you're awfully _blind_ to the truth, Sasuke."

Just as she had said his name and finished her lecture, Sasuke grabbed the collar of her jacket and yanked her towards him, his Sharingan blazing as he leaked minute killing intent. "Shut _up,_" he hissed, shoving her away as his hands trembled with fury. "Just shut up, you don't know a _thing_! You don't know me, you like _acting_ like you do, but you don't! You don't understand my pain and you _never will_! You don't understand loss, because you've never—"

His shouting was promptly halted, as Naruto clamped a hand over his mouth as she stared unflinchingly into his Sharingan, a look in her eyes more menacing than the Mangekyou in place. Sasuke might have retaliated, had he not frozen from the sudden fear that gripped him—though minute, Naruto began leaking her own killing intent, and worst of all, she was _smiling_.

She spoke in a near whisper, but it was no less menacing than having a kunai pointed directly at Sasuke's jugular. "You really shouldn't make _assumptions_, Sasuke. The reason why I'm strong is because I don't _train _to become _strong._ I train, I fight, I _live_ to protect those that are important to me." Her eyes flashed dangerously and the smile immediately faded, her mouth set in a thin line. "Do you know _why_ I hold my precious people so close? Why I am so _fiercely protective?_ It's precisely because I've _lost them all _before, I have _felt the pain_ of being left utterly alone, _abandoned,_ by those I care for. I've felt that oppressive weight of being _hated_ by those I cared for. I've also seen them die_ right in front of me,_ some to chase after some _blind ambition._" She snarled, KI clamped down tightly but still being released.

"Do _not_ spout off utter nonsense, complete _bullshit_ about how I don't understand loss, _Sasuke._ I do, I do so painfully-fucking WELL. I understand the urge to destroy, too, that concept of _REVENGE_ that flirts with my desires, urging me to mercilessly _KILL _the ones who have wronged me. But even then, I know it isn't worth it. I know and I focus on what is _important,_ protecting those that are still with me." She released Sasuke, removing her hand from his mouth, but the intensity in her gaze didn't waver. "You want to say that I don't understand your pain, but I _do._ It is actually the other way around, it is _MY _pain that _you_ would never understand, because you refuse to open up to_ anyone_. You refuse to accept the _truth._ You're just… You're just so _fucking-stubborn!"_

With a sigh, Naruto took a step back to regain her personal space, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "… True strength comes from the will to protect, Sasuke. True courage is the ability to make bonds, make new bonds, even when you've lost old ones. It's the ability to continue on despite the fear of further loss when the odds are against you." She turned back to Sasuke with a tired gaze, hardly noticing whether or not the boy was actually listening to her. "You never answered my earlier question, but I already know the answer. You are a coward, Sasuke, because you are afraid of being betrayed again, afraid of _being weak_. But guess what? You _are_ weak. You are weak, Sasuke, because _your_ motivation to gain power will fade as soon as the object of your revenge dies."

She shook her head. "You, Sasuke, are a coward, a weak, pitiful _coward_, and until you can see the _truth_, that which is most _important,_ you will always be one."

Quite frankly, Naruto was surprised that her teammate had remained still throughout the entirety of her rather disparaging lecture. As soon as she finished speaking, however, he lunged at her, a kunai in hand and a snarl in place.

"Shut up!" His ferocity was not unlike what Naruto had seen many years ago, at the Valley of the End. There was conflicting, blatant hostility in his eyes, but it was coupled with something new—with the hesitant confusion ever present. "You don't know _anything_, you're just the IDIOT dead-last that doesn't know _ANYTHING_—" Naruto deflected the kunai and ducked from the following kick, patience gone.

"It's easy, isn't it!?" She parried the punch aimed at her face, matching her glare to Sasuke's. "To just close everyone off, calling them _idiots_, looking down on them!" She jumped to avoid a kick aimed at her knees and twisted mid-air, retaliating with her own. "To ignore your pain, and yearning by focusing on your ridiculous, blind goal!" She sent a powerful punch straight to Sasuke's chest and snarled at the resounding crack that the action caused—leaving her with a few broken fingers, but him with a much more severe injury. He flew over the training grounds before landing in a heap, but a split second later Naruto was over him, holding the boy from his collar and glaring at him right in his eyes. "Open your _damn_ eyes already Sasuke, you're closing yourself off_ from everyone, from yourself_!"

"You don't…" He shoved her away, stumbling slightly as he attempted to right himself. "You don't know a damn thing… You're just…"

"You're still going off on that, teme? You and I both know that you actually do _understand_, and that you're just being a stubborn little shit." Naruto snorted lightly. "Well, I guess I shouldn't have expected any different, not from you."

A small silence descended, the only sound filling the training field were the labored pants from the Uchiha survivor. He coughed, a viscous mixture of congealed blood and spit splattering into the grass. Naruto turned to him, something between a sad smile and a grimace in place as she took in the disdain he held in his eyes. "… You know, I wouldn't have done this if I wasn't trying to help you, Sasuke—" he gave a derisive snort, which was left ignored. "—I just want you to know: whether you think the same of me—whether or not you even consider me a _friend_—you are _my_ friend, my _best friend_, no matter how pathetic that sounds, and I only want you to be happy." Sasuke's glare dissipated immediately and was replaced with wide-eyed shock. The blonde only kept her smile in place. "If you ever need me… I'll do my best to be right there for you. Because even when you turn your back on the world and the world forsakes you because of it, I'll…" She closed her eyes for a brief moment, thinking about how things had progressed last time. Her near-blind pursuit of Sasuke was, at first, a promise made to Sakura who wanted her teammate, friend, and crush back. At some point, Naruto herself began trying to get him back, not just for Sakura or their promise but because Team seven, her _family_, just wasn't the same without everyone present. Without _Sasuke._

She opened her eyes, staring at Sasuke with a wry smile. Her words held a rueful bitterness, left over from the all-consuming loneliness that she had experienced when she first woke up. "… I'll always be _right-fucking-there_ for you."


	15. Watching the Starting Line

**Rating****: T**

**A/N****: This is so slow paced. Not to mention, it took me way too long to finish and post this chapter. It's all in an effort to clarify certain questions I had about the series (my attempt, at least, with what was given in canon) and tie up some loose ends before the next event… But the Chuunin Exams are soon, so hooray! Also, I know very little about Shogi, but apparently stalemates are possible. If I'm wrong, well… I'll figure something out. Word count is ~9k.**

**Disclaimer****: I don't.**

* * *

**Watching the Starting Line**

Naruto stared across the room at the figure sitting at his desk. He was clearly not planning on starting the conversation.

She sighed.

"Jijii, what did you need?"

Earlier, she had been fussing about her meager apartment, alternating between organizing her Fuuinjutsu materials and reading her books. She knew that the Chuunin Exams were going to happen rather soon, even if Kakashi had yet to bring up the topic with her team (the training grounds were _always_ occupied by other Genin teams these days, and it was simple enough to make inferences. Especially when Guy's team—Lee in particular—would be proclaiming how "youthful" his performance in this year's Chuunin Exams would be) and that meant that she had to be prepared.

Not long after she had finally settled down to practice creating her seals, however, an ANBU of Hiruzen's personal guard dropped by, informing her that the Hokage wished to speak to her. No words about _what_ or _why_, only that her presence was needed. She had responded immediately, wondering if it was about the Chuunin Exams.

However, something told her that _that_ wasn't what the old man wanted to talk about.

"Naruto." The addressed blonde looked up, regaining herself from her thoughts. The Sandaime had an odd look of consternation on his countenance. "Did anyone… Were you ever informed about your parents? Your mother?"

Naruto lifted an eyebrow in response to the odd question. "Uh… Well, yeah. Uzumaki Kushina, wife of Namikaze Minato, and the previous Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi."

To her confusion, Hiruzen only shook his head. "No. Do you know about her heritage? About the background behind the Uzumaki clan's status in Konohagakure?"

"I wasn't aware they had a 'status,'" the blonde replied flippantly. "Considering I'm the only living Uzumaki, it makes sense."

"That… Is not what I meant," the aged Hokage sighed, setting his pipe to the side before laying his hands before him on the desk. His eyes glinted with something hardened and grave. "What I am about to tell you… I know for a fact that you never found out, because there were no explicit documents to verify this law, _or_ my final decision, because the two created a sort of impasse. I want you to listen to what I have to say. You may ask any questions you may have after I finish."

Naruto's brow furrowed questioningly but she nodded regardless. Hiruzen seemed to relax, however slight.

"… Alright. Where to being…" The Sandaime's eyes flitted to the portrait of the Shodai Hokage, Hashirama. "… I know that, as a child, you always wondered why no one had ever helped you, why most people avoided you. This was due to a law of Jinchuuriki established by Mito, officiated by her husband, Senju Hashirama. All Jinchuuriki were to be placed under the custody of the Uzumaki because of their sealing prowess and powerful restraining chakra. They were the most suitable clan to maintain and take care of the Jinchuuriki, and thus, all jurisdiction regarding the Kyuubi fell under their rule."

He closed his eyes. "And… Considering the rather _special_ circumstances surrounding your own status as a Jinchuuriki, I had passed my own law. All those in the know were to remain quiet about their knowledge of you being the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, and you were to remain uninvolved in any major political affairs. The latter part was, mostly, my effort to keep you out of the hands of more unsavory individuals that seek power. I am well aware that Danzou has kept his root faction alive despite my forbidding of it, and with this law, he could not slowly conscript you into Root without there being repercussions from his actions. It also served to protect you from any major clans that might've thought to take advantage of your hidden power."

"Your mother… She had the same problem that you did. She was one of the last few of Uzumaki descent, the _only_ that Konoha knew of, so she was therefore left on her own as an independent because she was the sole survivor. _She _still had relative freedom regarding who she associated with, however, because my own law hadn't been enacted at the time. You, on the other hand, were essentially an untouchable to _anyone_ with so much as an ounce of political power. Even if any of the clans had wanted to take you under their wing, it would have been far more trouble than it was worth if they were merely seeking after your power. I had hoped that someone, _anyone_, would step up to take care of you without any ulterior motives." The aged Hokage grimaced. "Alas, that was not the case. It had been a gamble on my part, and the odds fell against me."

Naruto stared at him. "… Even Kakashi-sensei? Erosennin?" Her words came out somewhat colder than she had meant them to. This was a situation from _years_ ago for her, but she would be lying if she said the prospect of being ignored by even her closest living relations didn't hurt at least slightly. "They also…?"

"No," Hiruzen cut in quickly. "That was… That was my decision."

At the questioning look the blond shot him, he continued, "You already looked… You have many physical similarities to Minato. If you were to be placed under the protection of Kakashi, his _student_, or Jiraiya, his _teacher_, it would've been rather obvious who you were. At the time, the Third war was still fresh on the minds of many, and the entirety of Iwa was still holding a festering grudge against your father—they still are, however cooled by time it may be—and you would've been in danger of garnering this negative attention Minato himself had earned."

"Wait. Something doesn't make sense." Hiruzen quirked an eyebrow at the interruption, and Naruto pinned him with narrowed eyes. "Inoichi… He was looking to form a guardianship over me through the Yamanaka clan, wasn't he? How come you would've allowed—"

"I wouldn't have, and his request was nullified. Inoichi did not know of the law regarding the Uzumaki, and was unaware that you were already under the guardianship of the Uzumaki clan."

"A clan head didn't know a law as important as that." It wasn't really a question.

The Sandaime sighed, his eyes looking sombre. "… No. No, he didn't, and that is due to…" He coughed. "… You've noticed the sparse information regarding the Uzumaki in Konoha, have you not?"

It was a question she had always wondered about, but a topic she had lost interest in after so many years of dead ends. Naruto nodded.

"Most of the information on the Uzumaki clan in Konoha was discarded or hidden away to protect you from anyone looking for the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, at least until you grew old enough to protect yourself. Even before then, however, due to the purge in Uzushiogakure, there were few documents and scrolls on the clan itself. That is why knowledge on the Uzumaki clan is… Sparse, at best." He paused, frowning at his desk. He shook his head. "I had never planned on allowing Inoichi to follow through with the legal guardianship because of the law; he wouldn't have been able to do so anyway. But I wished for you to reconnect with your female friends."

A small, stilted silence fell between them.

"… How does throwing away information about my clan protect me?" It was stated with curiosity. Curiosity, with perhaps a smidgeon of unbidden bitterness.

"I know how my words sound, and I admit to my mistake." Hiruzen pinned her with an unflinching gaze. "But I stand by what I've done. It was a method to make outsiders believe that you simply an Uzumaki in name. You were an orphan, lacking in the signature read hair, and knew nothing about Fuuinjutsu. To outsiders, there was no solid connection that you were an Uzumaki, and as such couldn't be the Jinchuuriki, because the Kyuubi's host was rumored to be one of the few survivors. You had enemies on both fronts, Naruto—your father's enemies would've become your own, and those after the Kyuubi's power were looking for a token Uzumaki. I did what I thought I must, at the time."

"And I understand that," Naruto cut in, a small frown marring her features. "But that still isn't a very good plan, Jijii. Speaking long-term and _ignoring_ the fact that I'm much stronger than I should be, what would you have done once I _had_ become strong enough to protect myself? Erosennin took me under his wing to start training when I was twelve and I got even more powerful from then—Heck, I had taken down Neji, had kept my own in a battle against Orochimaru and Kabuto alongside Tsunade-baa and Erosennin, and even survived a battle against my teammate when he _plunged his hand through my chest_." She stared at the older man with an icy gaze. "Was twelve years of _relative_ safety worth the essential burning of my heritage?"

The Sandaime's shoulders seemed to slump slightly. "I understand this, Naruto, and that is the reason why I am telling you now. I know my mistakes, and I understand that I've wronged you when I decided to keep this to myself. But at the time, it was the best alternative I could find to accomplish everything that needed to be done. Had I simply decided to hide you away, it would've been far too easy for someone to simply abduct you from the shadows—Orochimaru and Danzou being perfect examples." He looked back to Naruto with a solemn smile. "Minato… Your father had once told me, that what he wished for was for his child to be free, to love Konoha as he had, and to live by the Will of Fire. To keep you indefinitely safe, I would've either had to take my chances with Danzou or keep you locked up, consequently taking away your freedom and gaining your hatred for Konoha."

'I never hated Konoha, but I certainly had _it's_ hatred for a while,' the blonde thought silently. She nodded, understanding the Hokage's reasoning.

Hiruzen eyed her for a moment before cradling his head in his hands. "… I wanted you free, and to live by what you believed in. But I also wished for you to be free from fear of death, fear of your parents' enemies. I wanted you _safe_. I had never thought that the issues would lie _within_ the walls of the village, and now, years later, I wish I could've done more for you, more for your parents…"

"It's okay, Jijii." He looked up, a wry sort of surprise on his features. Naruto shrugged before offering a somewhat strained smile. "I… I'm over it, trust me. I really am, especially considering a lot of _other_ crap has happened since then. I appreciate the sentiment, though, and it's nice to have closure on the topic of my heritage and _why_ my clan was never given the recognition it deserved, but I'm over it." Her smile grew more natural. "I have people that are family now, after all. Not by blood, sure, but… _Family_, nonetheless."

Hiruzen smiled warmly at her, with something akin to pride lighting his features. Naruto scratched the back of her head. "… Well, anyway. Is that all, or are there other things you want to discuss, Jijii?" After that bomb, she kind of felt like going home and drowning herself in her Fuuinjutsu studies. It really didn't bother her all that much, but it certainly had been a rather abrupt revelation, for her.

The Sandaime shook his head. "No, that's all I had to—" He paused, a thoughtful look on his face. "… Actually. Do you happen to have a seal that could be used as a sort of summoning? It's a bit of a hassle to send out an ANBU to retrieve you each time I have something to discuss with you."

Naruto, in response, raised an eyebrow. "… Why? Isn't that what ANBU tattoos are for?"

"You know just as well as I do that it'd be more than just a little suspicious if a Genin was suddenly given an ANBU tattoo without actually being in the organization."

"Yeah, but that isn't what I meant," the blonde stated with an indignant huff—though the action's effect was lessened by her smirk. "And you know that, Jijii."

The Sandaime nodded, sighing slightly. "It really is simply for convenience sake, Naruto-chan. And yes, before you ask, engineering something similar to the ANBU tattoo would work, but I wanted to know if you had anything similar—knowing you, you would."

Naruto eyed him briefly before nodding, inwardly weighing the pros and cons. There truly were no cons per se, and giving him a method (her's, in particular) of calling on her would make it exponentially convenient; she could go to him whenever he needed help.

'Something I could really use, for the Exams.'

"I have an altered Hiraishin technique," she began, motioning with her hands. "Along with a few others, but I'll just explain what I can make for now. Hiraishin: Kanchi is a sensor seal, utilizing my sentient Jutsu Shiki—that's another technique of mine, by the way—and allows me to maintain a near constant connection with the bearer and the surroundings. It's somewhat trickier with living beings, as it can hurt the bearer if they close off the connection and I force it through, but this is for convenience sake anyway, so there is no problem with that." She grinned. "I'll just need some time to prepare, as this takes a bit of concentration and chakra—"

"No need," Hiruzen cut off, a frown in place. "It is only necessary for you to use your… Sentient Jutsu Shiki. Or do you perhaps have a Hiraishin kunai, like Minato had? Those were rather useful, as all I had to do was channel chakra into the weapon and he'd respond almost instantaneously." He nodded. "Yes, actually, that would work best. Jutsu Shiki wear off after a while, after all."

"I'd… Recommend my way, but I suppose that way is fine as well. I can use my Jutsu Shiki, though, because unlike Tou-chan's…" Her grin widened. "… Mine can be permanent."

Hiruzen's eyes widened. "_What_? How? Do you mean _almost_ permanent? Even though the shiki doesn't require much chakra to begin with, Minato has only ever managed to get his to last up to an hour at the most—you cannot overload it, because it would be too dense with chakra and would be noticed by the enemy."

"That's why I use my sentient Jutsu Shiki," Naruto commented easily. "They produce their own chakra. It was kinda annoying to come up with it, but it works—it constantly draws on precise amounts of nature chakra and converts it to my own, usable chakra."

The aged Hokage opened his mouth, as though to ask another question, but then closed his mouth with an audible click. He stared at her incredulously for a few moments before shaking his head, in a sort of resigned acceptance. "… I really shouldn't be surprised. Do you need to paint it on with a brush and ink, or…?"

Naruto walked over and held her hand out to him. "Nah, no need. Give me your arm." He did so, and she tapped two fingers on the top of his hand, and Hiruzen watched as a spiral resembling the Hakke Fuuin came into view. "… There. Just channel chakra into it and I'll be notified. But I have to ask… Are you sure you don't want my sensor seal? It could be more useful, and would make it easier for me to keep track of you in case something happens."

Hiruzen merely shook his head, busy examining the ink-like chakra symbol. "I am certain, Naruto. I may be old, but there is no need for you to go to such great lengths to ensure my safety. It is unnecessary."

Naruto opened her mouth to retort, mostly because it _was_ necessary—especially considering what happened last time—but was interrupted by the door behind her slamming open and a loud yell.

"NARUTO-NIISAMA!"

The Sandaime donned an amused expression as he watched Naruto freeze momentarily and look at the window hopefully. She bit the side of her cheek instead of taking the course of action she wished, and turned around. "Konohamaru," she sighed, exasperated. "… How many times have I said not to call me that?"

Yes, it was Konohamaru, the little monkey boy he was. This time around had been a little different regarding the tyke, as Naruto met him _before_ she had become a certified Shinobi. A while back, he developed a sort of fearful respect of her when he found her training at a local training ground, and had taken to watching her from afar (for fear of ending up in the collateral damage of her rather _destructive_ chakra control exercises). After the Wave mission, however, he seemed to have gotten wind of how she faired against the missing-nin and finally gathered up the courage to actually talk to her.

Naruto, of course, was rather pleased to see that her once-brother decided to talk to her, and had responded amicably.

Apparently, _that_, coupled with the "amazing super-powerful technique stuff" she had, warranted his idolization to an unhealthy degree. Konohamaru had always looked up to her, but this time was definitely… More extreme.

"But Naruto-niisama!" The young Sarutobi whined, running up to cling to the blonde's arm. "I can't call you anything else, because you're my niisama! And you promised me that you would teach me some of those amazing super-powerful techniques that you can do!"

She missed the rivalry that she had with him in her time. At least _then_ he hadn't been so… Clingy.

"Alright Konohamaru," she started, patting the boy on the head. "I'm going to show you a technique that is perfect for this situation. Heck, I learned this from _my_ sensei, and it's awesome. He always used it on us whenever he felt… Claustrophobic."

Konohamaru looked up at her with stars in his eyes. "Really!? What is it?"

Naruto turned to Hiruzen briefly (who looked as though he was trying to hold in laughter). She turned back to the younger Sarutobi with a deceptively kind smile.

"I call it, 'I'll-see-you-later-no-jutsu'."

She then disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving behind a disgruntled Konohamaru and a laughing Hiruzen.

* * *

"Fuuko" frowned underneath her mask.

That day, she had decided to go to her team's meeting as Fuuko instead of Naruto, partially because she knew it would be easier to observe her male teammate through a mask and _not_ as Naruto(who would be the reason why he would be irritated… If he had been).

However, considering she had intended to observe Sasuke, she had noticed a few other odd things about Team Seven as a whole, that day.

First of all, and the least surprising, was the manner of which her clone was behaving. Clone Naruto was behaving Naruto-esque, but pointedly avoiding Sasuke—Fuuko understood this, she herself was afraid Sasuke would react violently, and even though her blood clones were sturdy… They weren't invincible. Secondly, instead of being outwardly irritated or angry, the Uchiha seemed… Nervous. Of course, said nervousness was just barely detectable underneath the icy mask of reticence he clearly constructed to avoid Naruto, if the way he _refused_ to look at the clone was any indication. Thirdly, on the _other hand_…

Fuuko's eyes slid over to Kakashi, who's lone eye was clearly on her instead of the book covering his face. He had been staring at her ever since she arrived, and it set her on edge—it was downright _unnerving_. He only occasionally glanced to Naruto, who, in response, would flinch minutely. Fuuko might've felt sorry for her clone, had they not been the same person, and had she not been the one to antagonize her team herself.

… And of course, the fourth—

"I'm so glad you're here, Fuuko-san," Sakura stated happily, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I've been working very hard! I've gotten faster with my Taijutsu, and I've been studying a lot—I found this cool technique that medic-nin use called a chakra scalpel, and even though my reserves aren't quite up there, I can maintain one on my right hand for a full minute! My left hand is only at forty-seven seconds, but I always practice and it's a much better statistic than last week's, where I was only at thirty-seconds for the left and forty-five for the right—"

An antsy clone. A nervous Sasuke. A nosy Kakashi. And a Sakura without her attention solely on broody.

It was all so… _Different_, from the usual Team Seven, and it was an interesting sight. She might've even found it amusing, had she not felt like she was being hunted.

"That's very good, Sakura," she commented lightly, before turning to Kakashi with a concealed glare. "Kakashi, shouldn't you be training your students? Why exactly are we all standing around here?"

The copy-nin only shrugged, gaze never wavering. "I'm waiting."

"Waiting for what, sensei?" Sakura looked between Fuuko and Kakashi with a curious gaze.

After a moment of silence (that Kakashi didn't deign to fill with an answer), Fuuko lifted an eyebrow. "… You're not expecting _me_ to train them, are you?"

"I think that'd be a good idea," Sakura quickly interjected, looking up at Fuuko with hopeful green eyes. "Maybe we can spar again, and you can tell me whether or not I'm doing well?"

Kakashi hummed, and finally—after _a whole damn hour_—his eyes finally lifted from Fuuko as he observed the sky. "A spar would be fun. I still want mine, but that's going to have to wait."

Fuuko looked at him incredulously for a few moments before shaking her head. Her gaze drifted to the sky, and she felt a sense of nostalgia—there were few clouds, but the action of looking up into the sky at all reminded her of what the Nara of her year used to do. Or, well. Still did.

'… What is that?' She narrowed her eyes at a darkly-colored speck off to the west. It was flying from the direction of the Hokage monument, and it looked like… A bird…?

She blinked. Ah.

"Hmm… Looks like," Kakashi interrupted her thoughts, turning to Fuuko with an eye-smile. "… We have a meeting to get to, Fuuko-chan." He turned to the three Genin. "You three are excused, though I suggest you continue training. You're going to need it."

Before Fuuko to murmur a word, Kakashi clapped a hand down on her shoulder.

They exchanged a look, and disappeared.

* * *

They appeared in the back of a spacious room, where multiple Jounin and Tokubetsu Jounin were gathered. A few turned to the new arrivals for a moment before turning back to the Hokage—and then double-taking, for whatever reason. Hiruzen looked amused.

"… I'll stay back here," Fuuko commented lightly. Kakashi paused for a moment before nodding, and walked over to the front where his fellow Jounin sensei were standing.

The Sandaime coughed into his fist, causing the quiet murmurs to die down immediately. "Alright. Now that everyone is here, I would like to announce that…"

Fuuko tuned him out, instead, trying her damnedest to calm her nerves over the fact that the _Chuunin Exams were starting_. She leaned back in her little corner of seclusion, reviewing over events with Kurama, and acting for all the world that she _didn't_ know that pretty much everyone in that room had their attention split between the Hokage and herself. Eventually, when the actual nominations came up, each Jounin sensei took their turn nominating (or harshly declaring unfit) their teams for the exams… And it instilled some level of pride and satisfaction in Fuuko that Kakashi was the first to do so, commenting on how he actually had quite a bit of confidence in his team.

"The proctor for the first exams will be Morino Ibiki." The aged Hokage glanced to the scarred interrogator, who nodded. When he turned to the crowd, Fuuko could feel the sparks of animosity that started immediately upon them locking eyes, however brief. She'd almost forgotten about the man. Huh.

"For the second exam, Mitarashi Anko." Ibiki stepped back as Anko stepped forward, a sinister gleam in her eyes. She, too, turned to Fuuko, but in her eyes held clear rage, irritation, and anger. Inwardly, the blonde time traveler wondered why she had decided to make enemies of arguably the two most sadistic people in Konoha.

"And for the final exam," Hiruzen turned to Hayate, who merely gave a bored sort of nod. "Gekko Hayate."

The brief meeting was brought to a close shortly thereafter. With Hiruzen pulling both Hayate and Anko to a corner of the room to speak. Almost simultaneously, Fuuko found herself at the unfortunate center of attention to a few of the Jounin present.

The first two to walk up were Inoichi and Shikaku.

"Inoichi-san. Shikaku," she nodded politely to them as they approached. Inoichi lifted an eyebrow.

"Fuuko," Shikaku greeted in a bored tone, one hand in his pocket as he regarded the younger blonde. "I haven't seen you in a while. I still want that rematch, you know, in case you've forgotten."

Inoichi's brow furrowed in confusion as he glanced between the two. "… I know that you two have met already and likely know each other to an extent… But I'm afraid I don't follow."

"I don't like honorifics, neither does Fuuko," the Nara head informed his friend, cocking his head towards the younger blonde. "And I told you, Fuuko, about the outcome of our Shogi match—"

"That I lost," Fuuko interjected, and Inoichi nodded.

"That's understandable. The amount of people I've met that have actually managed to win against Shikaku can be counted on one of my hands, and those few losses were from when he was a _child_. But considering he's actually hoping for a rematch…" Inoichi sent the time traveler a calculating grin. "How long did you last against him?"

Fuuko opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off before a single word could escape her. "Up until the very end."

The mind-walker turned sharply to the Nara, who smirked over at Fuuko. Inoichi's eyes narrowed. "… Again, I don't follow."

"We… Well, the game ended in a stalemate," Fuuko stated resignedly, realizing that there was no way to get around this. The Yamanaka's jaw hung loosely at the statement. "It was against me though, so I lost."

"But it's still essentially a draw, and I want a rematch."

Fuuko lifted an eyebrow at Shikaku, and the reaction was noted in her tone. "I thought Shogi was supposed to be a calming, methodical game. Not a method of battle."

The Nara shrugged. "It's a method of strategy, which is used in battle. Close enough."

"… Right," the time traveler stated, deciding it was time to derail the topic lest she end up in another Shogi match. She turned to Inoichi, who was looking at Shikaku with wide eyes, mouthing words that went along the lines of, 'I didn't know stalemates were possible in Shogi.' "So, Inoichi-san," she began, drawing the man's attention back to her. "Where is your third teamma—"

"RYUU-SAN!" The trio flinched at the loud voice, and not a second later a painfully _green_ figure landed before them. Kurenai and Asuma followed shortly thereafter, the former with a look of exasperation and the latter with an amused smirk. "I have not seen you in a most depressing amount of time, my friend! Does your youthfulness have the same fervor as before?"

Fuuko couldn't help the slight smile that formed on her lips. "Guy-san, it is good to see you, too." She turned to the Sarutobi and Yuuhi. "Kurenai-san, Asuma-san. I see you aren't busy tag-teaming an innocent training post, this time."

Inoichi stifled a snort and Shikaku looked off to the side as the new arrivals (minus Guy of course, he was rather unfazed) narrowed their eyes in anger and embarrassment. Fuuko's eyebrows lifted slightly at the odd shift in demeanor.

"… Er, Kurenai-san, Asuma-san? What's wrong?"

"Nara-sama," Kurenai began in a deceptively polite tone, "how about you do the honor of informing Ryuu-san here of the little prank one of your own pulled?"

Fuuko turned to look at the Nara leader with a raised eyebrow, and he sighed. "… Apparently, Shikamaru developed a short penchant for pranks—I think I have an idea who he got it from—and it happens to be an unfortunate circumstance that he's also rather proficient with our clan's techniques."

"… _What_." Fuuko blinked. Shikamaru? And _pranks_? Even she hadn't pulled any recently, and hadn't even seen the Nara boy in quite a while… Had he_ actually_ picked up on some of her old habits?

"Shikaku isn't being entirely serious, Fuuko-san," Inoichi chuckled. "His son, Shikamaru, is still _his _son—he's a rather lazy boy, and wouldn't do something unless he deemed it necessary. He had done that to the training posts over at the ninth training ground because he was testing out the malleability of his shadows and their properties."

Well. That made… A bit more sense, she supposed, but that still brought the question of why the perpetually lazy _Shikamaru_ of all people would… The time traveler shook her head and turned to the other three as a different thought occurred to her. "… Wait. Didn't you guys say that it had been a Tokubetsu Jounin that did that? Does that mean you guys were bested by the technique of a _Genin_—"

"He's a very intelligent one, though," Asuma riposted, smirking with a bit of pride. "And besides, those Shadow techniques of the Nara clan aren't anything to scoff at. Shikamaru has already shown some solid application of his techniques in the field."

"And Ino?" Inoichi questioned, looking rather hopeful.

The Sarutobi scratched his head, looking decidedly nervous. "… She's better, definitely, but her… _Passions_ are a little misplaced, sometimes."

"Hey, let's have the parent-teacher meetings some other time," Kurenai cut in, turning to Fuuko with an assessing look. "So, _Ryuu_… Your name is Fuuko, is it?"

The blonde blinked. "… Ah, yeah, it is." She scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Sorry, you guys didn't know that, did you?"

"A MOST YOUTHFUL NAME!" Again, everyone flinched—it was strange how Guy of all people could remain quiet and blend in so easily—before turning to the green-clad shinobi. "Fuuko, a free spirit! A child of the August winds! It is a most fitting name, my mysterious friend!"

"Your name is 'Fuuko'?"

Everyone turned to the new arrival, and Fuuko warily eyed the man with a narrow gaze. "It's nice to see you again, Ibiki."

Shikaku, surprisingly enough was the first to attempt cutting through the suddenly heavy atmosphere. "You are acquainted with Morino-san, Fuuko?"

"Yes." The two answered simultaneously, and a momentary silence descended.

Fuuko raised up a hand to him, open-palmed, causing the interrogator to lift an eyebrow. "… I believe we started off on the wrong foot," the blonde acquiesced, wording her statement carefully. "How about a clean slate?"

For an indeterminable amount of time, the two simply stared at each other—Ibiki seemed to be challenging her, telling her to back down, to admit to weakness. Fuuko was having none of that. Where his eyes glinted with condescension and all but verbally spoke the words, "you haven't seen the horrors I've known," Fuuko's own aura spoke for itself. "Bite me." Neither of them paid any mind to the heavy atmosphere they had incited, as they were too busy and focused on their battle of wills.

Finally, a small smirk formed on the interrogator's lips as he grabbed the outstretched hand and shook it roughly. The bone-crushing grip was reciprocated, and Fuuko gave a vulpine grin behind her mask. Ibiki laughed with unconcealed mirth. "Interesting. You're different from what I expected, kid." Inoichi shot the interrogator a sharp look.

Fuuko merely snorted, shrugging her shoulders as their hands released. "Trust me, the _others_ that know didn't know what to think, either."

Kurenai was the first not-in-the-know to speak, and she glanced between the two. "I… I think I missed something here. What exactly—"

"NAMIKAZE!"

While the other Jounin (and Tokubetsu) turned with curious gazes to the steadily approaching arrival, Fuuko stiffened immediately. Her eyes darted to the familiar wild, dark-purple ponytail of Anko, her face bearing a most severe snarl—and quickly averted her eyes to the Hokage, who stood a ways off behind the angry snake woman. Something glinted in his eyes as he nodded to her.

"Well, I think the Hokage needs me for something," Fuuko quickly stated as she turned back to the others, a sense of urgency in her tone. "See you guys later—"

"YOOUU BIIIITTCCHH!"

She Shunshin'd just out of the snake mistress' way, causing Anko to instead collide with an unfortunate Asuma, and appeared over by Hiruzen. Anko spun on her heel with red-faced indignation. "GET BACK HERE!"

Fuuko placed a hand on the Sandaime's shoulder and gave the crowd of Shinobi a two-finger salute with her other hand.

And then, they were gone.

* * *

The small group of Shinobi watched with varying levels of bafflement, confusion, and amusement (Ibiki was the only one who found the situation amusing, as he was almost constantly in the woman's company and was no stranger to psychotic, murderous individuals) as Anko screeched what was essentially a death knell before darting out of the building—no doubt in search of one Namikaze Fuuko who had just departed.

"Er… Does anyone understand what _that_ was about…?" Asuma questioned, looking off at the now-destroyed door that Anko had barreled through.

"It is most unfortunate that I do not know," Guy commented with a stern look, "but that was not the focus of my own attention. Did Mitarashi-san call her… Namikaze?"

Kurenai and Asuma stiffened at this. They actually hadn't noticed as their focus was elsewhere, but reflecting back on the conversation…

"Yes, she did," Shikaku drawled, sending the three Jounin a faintly unimpressed look. "When was the last time any of you were at the Jounin HQ? Namikaze Fuuko has been the literal talk of the town for a while, now."

Inoichi stifled a snort. "Yeah, even Shikaku was up in arms when he found out about this strange new Jounin. He actually ended up—"

He was abruptly cut off when the Nara jabbed an unrepentant elbow into his midsection, and he spluttered out a few pained coughs.

"Let's get back to the topic, yes?" Shikaku commented lightly, and the Yamanaka mumbled a few words before straightening—still holding a hand to his stomach. "Do any of you know what that was about? "

"… Um," all attention turned to Kurenai, "well, if I recall correctly… Anko had complained to me before about some 'stupid fuckers that won't accept her fucking-gratitude'." She quietly cleared her throat and blushed at the obscenities her friend liked to use. "She never directly said it, but her hand always reaches for her seal whenever she talks about it. I'm guessing that Fuuko-san is one of the people she was talking about, and she has been rather irate that she has not yet had the chance to say thank you."

Shikaku raised an eyebrow. "I heard about that—about the seal, that is. Apparently, Uzumaki Naruto, who is under Fuuko's direction, had done something to Mitarashi-san's seal and alleviated the pain. But what you're saying is…"

Kurenai gave something between a grimace and a smile, and nodded. "… She's been trying to say thank-you to both Naruto and Fuuko-san, and probably isn't taking their avoidance too well."

The present Jounin shared a suffering look. They did _not_ want Anko in their debt, if Namikaze Fuuko's conundrum was any indication of the fallout that would result.

Ibiki merely grinned.

* * *

Naruto gave a heavy sigh of relief as they landed on the cool stone of the Hokage office.

"Man… Anko's as crazy as ever," the blonde murmured, stretching her arms. She turned to Hiruzen with a smile, who was walking over to his desk. "Thanks, Jijii. That was a close call… I still don't really know how I ended up on pissing Anko-neechan off so much."

The Sandaime paused briefly as he sat down, quirking an eyebrow at the honorific, before shaking his head. "That wasn't entirely for the purpose of extraction, I actually have something to discuss with you. A few things that were supposed to be discussed before had slipped my mind at the time, and must be covered before the start of the exams."

Naruto straightened. "About what?"

Hiruzen waved a hand unconcernedly before interlacing his fingers. "It isn't about the exams themselves… Or perhaps they are, I wouldn't know my student's involvement in them. How much do you intend on revealing to Jiraiya?" At the blonde's silence, he continued. "I am not sure what you have told him, but not too long ago he came into my office and asked me if you knew about your parents. At the time, I had decided to tell him that, yes, you know of your parents, and that you also know your connection with _him_. We need to ensure that our stories coincide, if you are still hesitant about informing others about the truth."

The aged Hokage fell silent as he watched Naruto fall into her thoughts. Inwardly, Naruto considered his point—she hadn't actually thought about how much she was going to reveal to her Godfather. Heck, the idea hadn't occurred to her at all, if she were to be perfectly honest, and that… That wasn't exactly good.

Jiraiya would be a great ally to have on her side, that much was apparent, but was she fully prepared to involve him in the convoluted scheme that was the timeline? She knew it was a hypocrite's thought, but she didn't exactly want the man running off on his own, leaving her, and ending up dead.

The Sandaime's cough brought her out of her musings and she turned back to him questioningly. "You could make a cover-story that coincides with the one for Hatake Kakashi—he, also, came to me, inquiring about you and your knowledge as well." His eyes glinted with an assessing gleam. "He didn't say what you had said, but it was clearly something of substantial weight. Naruto, what exactly did you tell him?"

Naruto released a heavy sigh, cradling her forehead in her hand. "I only told him the truth—his past, the lost of his teammates, and his sensei."

After a moment, Hiruzen nodded. "… We could work with that, I suppose, as it coincides with your knowledge of your heritage."

"Yeah," Naruto nodded, letting her hands drop back to her sides. "We can just say that I know through Fuuko, that she told me at some point during my training when I got curious." She gave a small shrug. "Say that Fuuko didn't know it was supposed to be a secret and decided to tell me, her only living relative, the truth."

Hiruzen was silent, and Naruto almost asked him what he was thinking about, when he opened his mouth to speak again. "… Naruto, are you alright?"

In response, Naruto lifted an eyebrow as though questioning what he meant. When his look did not yield, she sighed, raking a hand through her hair exasperatedly. "It's that obvious, is it…?"

Hiruzen nodded, "I could tell that you were always an honest individual, Naruto. And it seems that didn't change in the future you come from, even with all that you have been through. I can tell that the steadily growing lies are weighing down on you." His eyes narrowed. "I can't help but wonder, will you ever tell the full truth? Once one creates a lie, it is difficult to escape it."

She knew that. She knew that painfully well, and the fact that the man had caught on to her unspoken predicament did not bode well.

Naruto remained silent.

The aged Hokage sighed, perhaps realizing that he would not be receiving an answer, at the present time. "I suppose that is a conversation for another time. Rather, there is another, more pressing matter steadily making itself known as time progresses." His countenance fell serious. "Tell me the details of my death."

The blonde stiffened, though to her credit, it was only a minute motion that wouldn't have been noticed, had the man before not known her a well as he did. "… Orochimaru attacks during the third round. I will give you a sign, something to notify you about who he is disguised as."

"A disguise… Hm?" Hiruzen tapped his chin contemplatively, turning a narrowed gaze to Naruto. "Why can't you simply tell me now?"

"I can't be certain if Orochimaru has taken extra precautions in case anyone found out. I wasn't exactly… The most _perceptive_ at this age, and with prior experience handling the man, I think it's safe to assume that he has contingency plans." She frowned. "Besides, I myself am not certain of his identity, at the moment. It is possible that the person he ends up impersonating during the third round isn't the person he is impersonating at the moment. He tends to switch disguises often, to prevent others from tracing him properly. Last time, I had only encountered two disguises of his, but I have little doubt that he has others."

Hiruzen nodded in understanding. "I see. Let me know, then, once you are certain of who he is. What 'sign' will you be giving?"

A gleeful, yet slightly devious, grin stretched across her lips. "You'll know when you see it, Jijii. It's fitting if I may say so myself, and I think many of the people I knew would be inclined to agree." It wasn't exactly the most intelligent 'signal,' what with it's complete lack of circumspection, but it wasn't as if she was ever really known for being inconspicuous anyway. She had her arsenal of low-key, unobtrusive jutsu, but she was usually busy throwing around her flashiest (not to mention, heavy hitting) attacks. As far as she was concerned, her 'signal' was the perfect, seemingly impetuous cover for the truth.

"Alright. By the way, Naruto, I've been meaning to ask… If I recall correctly, you mentioned that my student, Tsunade, became Godaime." Something akin to curiosity and hope flickered in the man's eyes. "What were the circumstances, surrounding that?"

Naruto furrowed her brow. "… I didn't tell you?"

"I know that Tsunade became Hokage after my death because there was need of a new Hokage," he replied easily, not paying any mind to the way Naruto flinched slightly at the mention. "I wish to know how you managed to convince my wayward student to return to the village, and to become _Hokage_, no less."

Naruto's eyes darted to the side as she searched for the words to way. "… Er… Well, I guess … We had a disagreement." The Hokage lifted an eyebrow. "She insulted the position of Hokage, and being the sort-of—okay, _very_—hot-headed type, I spoke out of turn, and we ended up in a bet—I had to master the Rasengan in the allotted time, and if I won she would give me her necklace and would go back to Knoha, but if she won, we would walk away. I managed to do it, and just in time, because Orochimaru had come around with his apprentice to have Tsunade-baachan heal his arms."

"… Hm." The Sandaime leaned back in his chair, a look of contemplation on his face. "… If you had to describe it, how would you say your relationship with Tsunade was?"

A cheeky grin made it's way onto the blonde's features. "Well, she's my baachan. She could be a little rough and abrasive at times, but that was just how she showed concern."

"I… See," Hiruzen stated quietly, giving a small, fond smile to no one in particular.

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched her grandfather figure. "Why did you wish to know, anyway?"

Blinking a few times, the man waved a hand dismissively as he turned back to regard Naruto. "I am old, Naruto. Regardless of what occurs in the upcoming exams, I will need a successor—at least, until _you_ can take up the mantle."

The blonde coughed into her hand, staving off the nervous awkwardness that befell her at the mention. "Is that all, Jijii?"

He nodded. "Yes, that is all."

"No more crazy interrogation sessions with you trying to get more information out of me? No more subtle plotting?"

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, though the desired skeptical effect was betrayed by the slight upturn of his lips. "No, Naruto-chan. And while I would love to continue chatting with you, I have some paperwork to get back to," he motioned to the mountainous _monstrosity_ of parchment before him. "Unless you would like to help me—"

Somewhat panicked, Naruto gave a quick two-finger salute. "No thanks, I'll see you soon Jijii!"

And then she disappeared in a blur.

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat before his desk, contemplating.

His memory of the young, eleven-year-old Naruto was something he held close to his heart.

That day, a little over a year ago, that the supposedly twenty-year-old Naruto stepped into his office was one that he would never forget. Upon seeing her visage, he had had his suspicions—that blonde hair, her eyes, the shape of her face—it was all too familiar, and on the form of someone that should've been a stranger to him. It was, as it stood, mostly the eyes that threw him off. There was an ever-present look of sorrow, of resignation that Hiruzen had never seen in the eyes of his predecessor, the Uzumaki princess, or the young blonde child that was born between the two.

It would be a lie to say that it hadn't pained him to learn of this new figure, this enigma. To find out that she truly _was_ Uzumaki Naruto, but from the future. It stung even more to learn that she had come back as her younger self—that the bright-faced, innocent and cheery eleven-year-old that the aged Hokage had grown so attached to would never come back.

However. Despite the circumstances that the appearance of a Naruto from another point in time brought, and despite the clear darkness shrouding her haunted eyes, she was _still Naruto_. It had been proven that she was no imposter, and it had alleviated some of the pain Hiruzen felt to see elements of her younger, more cheerful self as their conversation progressed to her mask and her highest rank achieved.

He had decided upon a plausible cover story for "Namikaze Fuuko" to support Naruto's persona, and she had continued with life—planning, preparing for the future that she had yet to fully divulge to him.

After seeing her avoid the people he had _no doubt_ were apart of her previous life, however, he had interfered. Hiruzen understood that, whatever it was that Naruto had gone through, it had left her reluctant to reforge her bonds with the people in her year. But she needed it, to open up and realize that she was _not alone_.

Time passed. She had graduated (after convincing Iruka that she was to be placed in Team Seven with Sakura and Sasuke—not that Hiruzen would have allowed otherwise, but still) and taken her fair share of missions.

The most recent being that C-turned-A-Rank mission to Wave, that had the team facing two Chuunin, The Demon of the Mist and his apprentice.

Hiruzen had had something of a heart attack when he read Kakashi's report. From what was stated, it was rather simple to infer that this mission had occurred last time, and for a while he was slightly irritated that Naruto hadn't thought to inform him of it. Because even though it was evident that she was more than capable of defending herself and her team from _Momochi Zabuza_, he still would have appreciated the advanced notice.

The aged Hokage closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

And then… There was the conversation with his student.

Jiraiya had been rather _unhappy_, a feeling that he made certain to make clear, about the fact that Naruto knew about her heritage yet he hadn't been informed.

"_Why wasn't I told sooner?" He asked, thinly veiled anger laced in his tone. "Naruto is my _Godson_, and the only reason why I wasn't allowed to approach him sooner was because of my connection to Minato. But if the kid already knew, why was I still barred from so much as _meeting_ him?"_

Worse of all, Jiraiya was still uninformed about Naruto's real _gender_—the aged Hokage knew for a fact that such a detail would be lorded over him by his ex-student, the moment he got the chance.

Hiruzen couldn't blame the man, however. He had apologized, saying that there were circumstances that had to be accounted for, and that Jiraiya now had free rein to interact with Naruto as he pleased, to which the man replied with a rather curt, _"Obviously."_

The Sandaime sighed deeply, glancing to his abandoned pipe. There was very, very little he could actually do in this situation. It was painfully obvious that she was hiding information (about her age, about what she had experienced, the state of the Shinobi world before arriving, her exact reasons behind her fear and hesitance) an _overwhelming_ amount, but her reluctance to divulge said information was just as astounding. He could, technically, attempt to micromanage Naruto—force her to reveal all of her knowledge of the future and go from there. But the most probable outcome of that would be altering the given "timeline" to an unfavorable outcome, something that the blonde was clearly fearful of. It made him sad, to be perfectly honest—he never thought that Naruto's weakness would be excessive _prudence_, of all things.

Besides, he was not the right person to attempt forcing her hand.

Hiruzen looked down at the blank parchment in front of him. It was unmarred, with the exception of the drying ink spot over which his hand hovered. He couldn't force her to reveal the truth, but he could make inferences. And this was the appropriate course of action.

He took a calming breath, forcing his hand to steady, and prepared to write.


	16. The Exams: Round One

**Rating****: T**

**A/N****: Got back from my "vacation" AKA "business trip" AKA "I-got-to-be-the-chauffeur/tour-guide/translator-for-an-asshole" earlier today and I'm still kinda sick. Sinus infection only at this point, but still, it sucks. But even though I'm bitching about it, I was able to get this chapter out! At first I was going to wait until I had the next one finished as well, but this chapter doesn't have any plot points that might be disturbed should I change things around in the next chapter, so I figured, "why not."**

**Also, you're free to skip the first part… I feel somewhat in… awe (horror, incredulity) that I wrote this, but I don't think I'm entirely to blame (nevermind the fact that I'm the author here). In a skype call with my friends they were literally talking about **_**characterization**_** in 50 shades and I was just… Really guys. Really? Word count is ~10.1k.**

**Disclaimer****: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**The Exams: Round One**

"—And so what I'm saying, is that you should try to add some characters to his harem that _aren't_ head-strong blondes with 38+ bust measurements!"

Jiraiya clapped a hand over his face and groaned. "Look, Naruto, it's not—"

"You've got female readers too, believe it or not," Naruto interrupted, pointing at the Sannin with her chopsticks. "I'd say a solid twenty-five percent are, in fact. I mean, there aren't many other porn novels—" she ignored the Gama-Sennin's retort of, "it's _art_!" and continued, "—so well acclaimed throughout the nations, so obviously they're going to turn to Icha Icha. But you need to give some _diversity_ to the characters in the series, make them more relatable to the _female_ demographic!"

"But Naruto, you don't _understand_," Jiraiya emphasized, beginning to make exaggerated hand-motions. "I _do_ put diversity into the female characters! Sure most of 'em are blonde, and a fair amount have large _assets_, but I also include the cute, demure, and elegant types, too! My readers, they have diverse tastes as well, and it's a well-accepted fact that not everyone actually _likes_ big breasts—which, if I may say, is a sin within itself—and I do my best to appeal to this!"

Naruto opened her mouth, readying a retort, but abruptly froze as reality smacked her in the face. She blinked. Was… Was she _really_ having this discussion with her Godfather right now?

It was her turn to clap her hands over her face.

Earlier that day, she had encountered Jiraiya while on her way to the training grounds, and they had decided to discuss her training regimen over lunch. She figured that the Sannin was planning for basic Taijutsu and Chakra control exercise, but she was planning for something else—the Toad Contract.

They had begun discussing the potentials for her training; her _surreptitiously_ hinting at wanting to join the Toad contract—

"_I really want to use the same Toad Summons that you and Tou-chan used to be super bad-ass, dattebayo!"_

—and him _casually_ brushing her off—

"_No, you need to work on all of the important steps that supersede joining a contract! You can't sign it yet!"_

And _somehow_, they ended up diving into a debate about Icha Icha… spurred on by Jiraiya having her read the first couple of chapters of his next, yet-to-be-named installment. The next book which, if it didn't somehow change, would be named "Icha Icha Violence."

Naruto sighed. To think, at one point she had been an innocent child with the mindset of a righteous prude at one point. To be fair, she had gotten curious and it was a method of (sort of) honoring her late teacher's life… "It's not just the female characters, Erosennin. The porn is good, the sparse romance-leading-up-to-sex is pretty good as well, but it's just… Too plain."

Besides, in her opinion it was one of the best ways to try and reestablish the familial relationship she had with the man before. (It probably helped that he was still under the assumption that she was _male, _too.)

Jiraiya arched an eyebrow imperiously. "Too _plain_?"

"Too plain," Naruto repeated, nodding sagely. "Yes, you add diversity to how the female characters look. But for the male characters, the only real description we get is…" Her face twisted. "… The size of his dick. Not to mention, the _characterization_! The only real characters from your last book, Icha Icha Paradise, that had real depth to them were Satoshi and Mira-chan—understandable, since they were the main characters, but then the other characters become pointless! Even the women in Satoshi's harem became nothing more than generic females with big breasts!"

The Toad Sage shook his head forlornly, causing the blonde's eyebrow to twitch. "Naruto, Naruto, you're still just a young boy. In the throes of hormones and passion, sure, but still rather innocent. Untouched." Naruto couldn't tell if that was _supposed_ to be a double entendre, not if her Godfather's apparent impression of her was innocent. "You have good points, yes, and I'll take them into account. Just… Wait a few years, and _then_ I might make you my assistant!"

At the end of his small spiel, he grinned at her with a pointed thumbs up. Naruto scoffed and rolled her eyes, not quite able to hide the small smirk that resulted—she wasn't a fan of being strong-armed into being his assistant, _again_, but the idea of spending more time with the Toad Sage was not something she was averse to. "Yeah yeah, because being your assistant is _definitely_ what I want to waste my time being, 'ttebayo."

"Hmph. Well, at least you're better than Minato," Jiraiya huffed, waving a hand dismissively. "The boy could never appreciate my literature. The little prude."

"Might've been my Kaa-chan, y'know," Naruto pointed out, returning to her noodles. "Maybe Tou-chan was just really, really loyal. Or maybe Kaa-chan knew and made certain that he wouldn't participate."

"This was before the two of them became more than friends though. It wasn't as if Minato scoffed and mocked my erotic drabbles at any point, but he didn't show any interest whatsoever. For a while, I was deathly afraid that, for all his potential, he was batting for the other team." The Gama-sennin snorted and shook his head, turning to face Naruto fully. "Anyway, how'd we even start talking about this? I'm glad my Godson shows more promise than Minato regarding the more shapely gender, but we still haven't come to an agreement."

Naruto gulped down the last few drops of soup and placed her empty bowl down, turning to Jiraiya with a serious look. "I want to join the list of Toad Summoners, Jiraiya-sensei."

The exact root of the man's surprise—whether it was the sudden shift of seriousness or the change of address—couldn't be placed, but it seemed to work. Jiraiya eyed her for a moment as his previous humor vanished. "… Oh? And why's that?"

"… Because I can't fight alone," Naruto spoke quietly, measuring the man before her. "And my comrades will not always be available for me to rely on. Sometimes, I will need help to protect them completely if they are injured or indisposed."

A few more moments of the semi-intense stare-down continued before Jiraiya leaned back and let out a snort. "Pretty words, brat, pretty words. I like 'em anyway." He clapped Naruto on the shoulder, causing her to knock into the table slightly. "I was intending on letting you to sign the contract eventually, y'know."

Naruto winced. Yes, she knew that, but she needed reason to not only be able to summon the toads, but use the Rasengan and maybe Sage Mode _soon_. "… How about I just show you what I'm capable of? Then you can make your judgement from that."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You just graduated from the Academy. I doubt Kakashi would have been able to help you Genin brats _that_ much."

The blonde was about to reply but realized that the man's retort held nothing but clear skepticism. He wasn't fishing for truths through veiling lies, he wasn't searching for evidence. His tone and actions were far too obvious for that. He truly thought that Naruto was fresh out of the Academy with only Kakashi as her mentor.

He knew nothing about "Namikaze Fuuko."

Well, at the very least, he knew nothing about Fuuko's supposed mentorship with Naruto. She was certain the man had at least _heard_ of her, what with the surname she shared with his prodigious past-student. Inwardly, Naruto went over her previous conversations with Hiruzen. He had said that he told Jiraiya that, yes, she knew her parents, but… Did he not give a _reason_ why she knew? Surely, Jiraiya would have inquired about why and how his goddaughter—well, godson, in his eyes—suddenly acquired knowledge about her heritage?

Naruto grinned maliciously, holding out her hand. "Hey, Erosennin."

Either sensing the less-than-innocent tone or simply wary, Jiraiya tensed minutely as his eyes slid back over to her. "… What?"

His jaw dropped at the collecting chakra in her hand as it shaped and condensed, glowing a bright and ethereal blue.

Naruto's vulpine smirk remained as she watched the Sannin's eyes grow wider with every second. "Don't you think I'm ready to sign the toad contract?"

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Naruto walked out of the training grounds only slightly scuffed up and with a bright grin on her face.

After showing Jiraiya her perfect Rasengan, the man had immediately demanded her source—where she had learned it. Instead of replying immediately, she told him that she wanted to spar first. They both Shunshin'd over to the training grounds (it had been rather hilarious seeing his reaction to that; she hadn't even meant to "show off" with it, as she had forgotten that the Shunshin wasn't exactly something Genin knew) and began their light spar.

At first, he had gone achingly easy on her. He ended up with a few cracked ribs. Then he had decided to treat the spar with more gravity, and they had recommenced. Naruto was obviously not in the best shape due to her physical age having natural limitations, but she was able to keep up with him with chakra at least—something that had left him substantially dumbfounded.

The Gama Sennin demanded to know how she had gotten so fast, powerful, precise with her chakra, and how she learned the Rasengan.

"_Namikaze Fuuko."_

A slightly worrying frown crossed his features before he nodded. He did indeed know about Fuuko, apparently, but his knowledge was not in her favor if the somewhat dark countenance was anything to go by. Regardless, he had pulled out his summoning contract and had Naruto sign it. He had only lingered long enough to watch Naruto summon a confused Gamakichi before saying that he had to go speak with the Hokage—and the blonde couldn't help but send silent condolences to the old man.

But regardless, she had gotten the Toad contract with little to no hassle.

If she were to be completely honest, it was surprising to her—before, it had always seemed as though Jiraiya would do everything in his power to prevent her from gaining "super flashy jutsu." Of course, at the time she had been an immature child with the attention span of a fly, who really _did_ need to be re-trained from square one. Still, she wasn't _that_ delusional as a child, and the odd dichotomy between then and now was duly noted within her mind.

* * *

'**Naruto.'**

The blonde beamed, eyes wide in slight surprise. Her trip to the training grounds was momentarily forgotten. 'Kurama. Haven't heard from you in a while, y'know.'

The fox snorted quietly. **'It has only been a few days, but that aside. Do you sense it?'**

Immediately, Naruto tensed, grasping at the abundant Nature chakra around her. '… No,' she replied after a few moments, her brow furrowing. 'What am I searching for? Is there a threat? I can't sense one, and—'

'**Not a threat,'** the fox grunted impatiently. **'Search for familiarity.'**

'… Familiarity.' Naruto echoed, only to receive no response. She closed her eyes in an attempt to focus further. 'I… I don't really know what—'

And then she felt it, her eyes shooting wide open at the sense.

'**Best head over there now. Even though it was a relatively benign event, we don't know what will happen without your presence. Nor should we wish to test it.'**

The blonde nodded, jumping to the rooftops and darting across towards her destination.

When she arrived, it was at the very same junction she had remembered, with a rather familiar scene—Sakura, Moegi and Udon standing to the side in caution, Sasuke hidden up in his tree, Konohamaru being held up by Kankuro, and Temari standing by her brother. Gaara's presence lingered, and though concealed, Naruto could pinpoint his exact location.

"You brat," Kankuro hissed to Konohamaru, who was still struggling. "Aren't you going to apologize? You ran right into me!"

"I don't need to apologize to you for nothin'!" the Sarutobi yelled, attempting to swing around and clock the puppeteer in the stomach.

It was at this moment that Naruto jumped down from the rooftops and lightly chopped Kankuro's wrist with her hand, forcing him to release the squirming boy with a hiss. She maneuvered him behind her, more for making him feel safe than actually defending against the people in front of her.

Naruto felt all in the vicinity tense, with the exception of Gaara and Sasuke (and inwardly scoffed. Damn stone-faced ice-kings). She turned to where she knew Gaara stood with a stern gaze. "Oi," she called out, gesturing to the two stiff sand siblings with her hand. "Shouldn't you be watching your siblings? If they stir up a commotion in Konoha, then you're all in trouble—and I don't just mean your team."

At that moment, Gaara appeared before her in a swirl of sand, and everyone sans Naruto twitched in surprise. Azure connected with teal, and the blonde almost felt the urge to flinch back as well from the strange aura she could sense around the young russet-haired boy.

Unbidden, a memory surfaced to the forefront of her mind.

"… _Do _I _have regrets?"_

_Naruto nodded, watching as her friend heaved a deep sigh, as though releasing the locks that held his innermost thoughts. He turned away from her, instead choosing to walk over to the window overlooking his village._

"… _As a Jinchuuriki, there are base patterns that could be relied on, regarding my life. I was an outcast, and seen as a monster—something that you are acutely aware of. Multiple assassination attempts were made on my life due to my instability and indiscriminate killing. I had never wished to be born, to be a monster. And yet I was. I was a lonely, pitiable existence that knew nothing of love or affection, only of hatred and solitude."_

"_I… I have no regrets. Or rather, I have none that could truly be changed, at this point, and further contemplation of them yields no benefits to myself or my village. No matter how much I could wish that I hadn't, the fact remains that the blood of many comrades lies in my hands, and though many now respect me as the Kazekage—they will never forget._ _Nor will I."_

_His head raised slightly, perhaps in pride or strength. "I also… I would never exchange what I have now for a hopeful past, but many times in my younger years—after meeting you—I found myself imagining, wishing for another life. One where I was not alone, where I had others to rely on before."_

_He turned to Naruto, a small, rare smile on his face. "It is not quite a regret, however… If I could change one thing in my life, it would be… That I had met you sooner. That I had known you as a young child, and that I had you as a goal to rely on during my darker times. I am certain that… Had I had a role model as I do now, if I had a true purpose… I would not have committed half of the sins that have weighed heavily on my shoulders, to this day."_

Her eye twitched at the recollection. She couldn't remember when it had taken place—if it had been before, during, or after the Fourth War. If it had been a true _memory_ or an _illusion_. And yet, even if it was the latter, it was still a memory that she cherished—after all, as far as she knew, it seemed to hold a certain truth to it.

"Who are you?"

Naruto snapped out of her thoughts, noticing that Gaara was still staring at her with an unreadable gaze. She struggled to return the look, attempting to keep an impassive facade in the face of her once-friend.

'**If it was going to hurt you this much, why didn't you simply refrain from going to Suna? Or why didn't you befriend him as yourself instead of a disguise of a younger version of that foolish persona?'** Kurama chimed in helpfully. **'Considering you had so many years to plan, you didn't really think all of this out very well.'**

'I had to,' Naruto replied. 'Using "Fuuko" as my name was better than using "Naruto," and it actually serves its purpose of my adhering to the… The timeline. So that I won't befriend him before the time comes.'

'**Then why go out to Suna to begin with?'** he challenged.

'Because I didn't want him to suffer,' Naruto bit out irritably. 'I've already said, my priority is to help the people precious to me. Gaara… He said that he wished Shukaku hadn't been so full of hatred. He wished he had someone like me to help him.'

The blonde cast a surreptitious glance towards the redhead, gauging him. If she were to be honest, he didn't seem very different from last time, and the thought worried her. '… Maybe I should have altered his seal after all,' she thought quietly. 'Maybe giving Shukaku back his memories wasn't enough.'

'**The Suna-brat is fine, there's no need to continue worrying. I know for a fact that Shukaku has been applying the bare minimum of psychological torture so that he won't be as damaged as before, but also to ensure that no one notices any changes.'**

Naruto offered a concealed wince at the thought of subjecting her friend to _any_ form of psychological torture but sent her understanding in reply; she knew there was little else they could do. She turned her attention outwards and looked at Gaara, whose unflinching gaze remained on her. "… My name is Uzumaki Naruto."

He narrowed his eyes for a brief moment before offering a curt nod and turning to his siblings, who immediately straightened at the sudden attention. "Temari, Kankuro. You are acting on behalf of our village, do not behave so disgracefully."

His words seemed to confused them slightly, as they exchanged a look. "B-but that brat—"

"Is the Sandaime Hokage's grandson," Sasuke cut in curtly as he leapt down from his tree, startling all those present. He walked over to where Naruto and Konohamaru stood, shoving his hands in his pockets. "And you aren't Konoha-nin. Why are you here?"

Kankuro let out a derisive scoff. "We're here for the Chuunin Exams, you didn't know? Wow, do they make 'em _dumb_ around here."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, but before he could reply Naruto stepped in. She still didn't know what his current state was after the verbal and physical beatdown she had delivered, but she really didn't want to test his patience so close to the exams. "The Chuunin Exam announcements haven't gone out to the public, yet. In fact, the Exam itself doesn't start for another week." She narrowed her eyes. "Foreign Chuunin potentials don't usually arrive a full _week_ in advance, as training in foreign villages presents a general handicap of revealing one's abilities early. Any reason why you three are here so early?"

At the question, Temari glared and Kankuro pointedly shut his mouth. Gaara turned to Sasuke with a narrowed gaze, assessing, just like previously. "… Who are you?"

The Uchiha returned the look. "It's customary to offer your own name before asking."

After a moment of brief contemplation, Gaara nodded. "I am Sabaku no Gaara. Mother wishes to see your blood spill." He glanced to Naruto. "Both of you."

"Uchiha Sasuke," the raven-haired boy replied, glancing to Naruto as well. "And I guess we'll see during the exams."

He then turned away to walk towards his siblings, and Naruto narrowed her eyes at the trio. Something was… Off. Kankuro and Temari were still afraid of their youngest, Gaara was still unreadable and curt, with the added addition of apparent insanity induced by "mother"… But something was off, that Naruto couldn't quite place. If it was possible, the two older siblings seemed even _more_ wary of Gaara than before.

"NARUTO-NIISAMA!" Her thoughts were abruptly cut off as something collided into her unexpectedly, making her release a sharp breath. She frowned lightly at the boy intruding on her personal space, wondering if this was a sign of Konohamaru's future prowess or her own inability. The response to her look was a bright, starry-eyed smile. "You were _awesome_! Like, not in the crazy-powerful Jutsu way, but the I-don't-need-to-lift-a-finger way! You made them scared of you by just _talking_!"

Unable to help herself, Naruto smiled and ruffled the brunette boy's hair. "Well, I'm glad someone found amusement from that. But they weren't scared of me, or any of us, dattebayo." Her expression cooled for a moment before relaxing, and she turned to Sakura and the remainder of the Konohamaru Corps. "You guys okay? Sakura?"

As though previously in a trance, Sakura blinked, looking between her two teammates. "Uh, yeah. Where did you two even _come_ from?"

Naruto grinned. "It's a secret." She glanced down at the monkey still attached to her hip and carefully began the process of extricating herself. "Hey, do you guys want to go out to eat something? Since the Chuunin Exams are going to start soon, we should probably hang out a bit and work on teamwork, right?"

The last portion was said with slight emphasis as she turned to Sasuke, only for her to frown as she watched him begin to walk away in complete dismissal of his team. It was slightly frustrating how she, in the future, was able to read _her_ Sasuke but not this one—not well enough to convince him to cooperate, at least.

"We're coming too!" Konohamaru shouted happily, bounding over to his two friends who nodded in agreement.

The pinkette tapped her chin lightly. "Hmm… Sure, but only if it isn't Ichiraku's. Ramen isn't exactly healthy, you know."

Naruto blinked in slight surprise at Sakura, who only grinned in response. Huh. Apparently, she couldn't read _Sakura_ well enough either. The young kunoichi wasn't at all fazed by Sasuke leaving, and she was actually receptive to going to eat lunch? Shaking her head to rid herself of her thoughts, Naruto reciprocated the grin with her own. "Alright! Yakiniku-Q it is!"

While there were mostly approving gestures following her statement, a single groan emitted from the previously boisterous Konohamaru. "But Asuma-jii goes there all the time!"

* * *

Kakashi had presented the exams forms to his team with the same lazy drawl he had last time, and they were excused for the day.

The only difference was that, for some reason, Naruto hadn't been "tested" as she clearly recalled being previously—it probably didn't mean anything major, but the worry was still there.

Today was the first day of the Chuunin Exams.

'_Finally_,' Naruto couldn't help but think as she waited for her teammates to arrive.

The Chuunin Exams… Sure, Wave had been important to a degree, in an emotional sense. It was her first C-Rank mission, her first C-turned-A-Rank mission, the first time she had experience true, unequivocal killing intent, the first time she had a _frightfully_ high chance of dying. The mission had been a rude awakening for her not-quite-idyllic but still rather innocent view regarding their profession, and it held a special place within her memories.

However. If Wave signified change and an awakening, the Chuunin Exams was that and _more_.

In more ways than one, the exams her generation had entered was the beginning of the end, what lead up to many tragedies to come. _Orochimaru_ was involved, and that about summed up everything that went awry. The Sandaime Hokage died. Konoha, while still standing, had been left with more than a few wounds due to the snake Sannin's attack, and relations between Konoha and Suna had been left strained up until the moment Gaara had taken up the mantle. Sasuke gained a curse mark and _subsequently defected_.

… That was definitely one of the larger issues, in Naruto's opinion. Not quite the fact that Sasuke defected, if she were to be honest, but the fact that he had left with such twisted ideals and preconceptions. Life outside of Konoha and with Orochimaru had thrust Sasuke into a world without reprieve from his hatred, from his vengeance. He was already the type to forge on stubbornly towards a goal, and without the alleviating atmosphere Team Seven provided, his lust for revenge only served to twist his weakened mind and turn it on himself.

Naruto admitted it. Kakashi had also admitted it, and even if she didn't say it, Naruto knew Sakura would agree. Even _Sasuke_ knew and had once told her personally, that more than likely, half of the issues Konoha had faced in their time probably wouldn't have happened had he not been an _idiot_ and dove right into his clan's Curse of Hatred.

Firstly, Konoha wouldn't have wasted so many resources on him. Of course, that was mostly of Naruto and Sakura's own volition; in this regard, they were the ones mostly to blame, as Sasuke had made it clear on more than one occasion that he didn't care about them constantly trying to track him down and convince him to come back. There was also the fact that Sasuke was completely self-serving during his time as a missing-nin, offering various pieces of information if it meant getting him closer to his goal. He made foolish decisions, allying once with Orochimaru to gain power, then allying with _Obito_ after he found out the truth, the latter being the biggest issue—Orochimaru wasn't too much of an issue, but _Obito_ had Black Zetsu and the entirety of the Akatsuki, including Nagato who held Madara's eyes. If Sasuke, in his blind hatred decided that he would help them _again_… Well, it was simply a chance that couldn't be taken.

She wouldn't kill him, no. She _couldn't_ kill him, but she sure as hell had enough strength to beat him within an inch of his life and make sure that Tsunade or Hiruzen kept him within the safe confines of the village while she went out to deal with the threats. She just couldn't risk the entirety of the _Shinobi World_ for the whims of her teammate, no matter how much she and her team cared about him.

"Naruto!"

The blonde blinked out of her internal musings and looked up, smiling as Sakura jogged over to her, Sasuke walking behind her at a leisurely pace. "Sakura, Sasuke. You guys ready?"

Sakura smiled, but there was a hint of uncertainty. "I'm not sure, I'm still kind of hesitant… But I decided to try entering. I mean, better luck next time if I don't do well, and I may as well try, right?"

Naruto nodded affirmative, wondering whether or not her teammates had been tested. It'd be strange, and a cause for concern if _they_ were tested while she _wasn't_, but she wasn't certain yet. "Hey, were either of you tested?" At Sakura's confused look, she elaborated. "Did anyone come by and attack you? Not aggressively, but… Well, test you for your resolve?"

Her two teammates only stared at her with varying levels of confusion, giving the blonde the answer she needed. It was just a small change, she reminded herself. The whole prospect of the Chuunin Exams in general was keeping her on edge, leaving her nervous about things that shouldn't faze her at all.

She shook her head, starting to walk towards the entrance. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. Let's go in, yeah?"

Sasuke grunted as he followed and Sakura nodded with a smile, before her brow furrowed in consternation. "… Hey, Naruto."

"Hm?"

The blonde shrank back slightly as Sakura invaded her personal space, her eyes riveted to blonde hair. "… Er, Sakura," she started after a few moments. "… What is it? Is there something in my hair?"

Sakura snapped back to reality before stepping back, smiling sheepishly as they continued to walk. "Ah… It's nothing. I was just thinking your hair is really similar to Fuuko-san's. You'd probably look nice with long-hair."

Naruto stared at her female-teammate for a few hard seconds before a smile spread across her face. In a way, the manner Sakura was acting currently was oddly reminiscent to _her_ Sakura, the one she regarded more as a sister than an associate that she worked with. The feeling was soothing slightly, as though…

As though she could get her precious people back.

The thought sent a shiver through Naruto's back and she pushed the thought away with a repulsed fear, only just managing to remember to give Sakura a noncommittal response.

It was a dangerously fine line she was treading on, and she knew it. The people of this time were _not_ the people she knew, and she would _never_ trade them for anything else than what they were. Even if Sakura grew up differently and ended up being only half the strong woman Naruto remembered, she would accept it. If Sasuke never defected from the village and turned into a complete flirt, she would accept it. If Kakashi ended up getting some anti-depressant pills to finally help his anxieties and suddenly turned into the second—no, third—coming of Might Guy, then so be it. They would still be Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi, and the same could be applied to everyone else she cared for.

"Naruto?"

Hearing the slight concern in the pinkette's voice, Naruto grinned. "I'm fine, Sakura. Just thinking about the exam."

Regardless of her worries about her possibly swaying resolve to keep the people _she knew_ separate from the people _here_, it was heartening to know that this Sakura was growing up and starting to be more receptive to her friendship. She could only assume that Sakura was naturally more at ease with another female, making it so that she wasn't the sole girl on their team.

Her eyes slid over to Sasuke, who decided to walk ahead of them, and she sighed. At least _some_ good came of the revelation of her real gender. Though to be fair, nothing really got worse, and she was rather certain that Sasuke's behavior was more likely attributed to their… Disagreement.

She grabbed Sakura's hand and darted after their brooding teammate, smiling a little forcedly. "C'mon, Sakura, or the teme will leave us behind!"

The Chuunin Exams.

In a way, she was excited to see how much she would be able to change during—how much would change as a _result_.

Perhaps it was her knowledge of the exact gravity of the examines, the possibility of what could happen, that left her feeling less than completely confident. However, she couldn't afford to show weakness—not at this point. The problems she had were not of the type that could be solved with brute strength and flashy Ninjutsu, and she had to work around that.

* * *

A masked, blonde-haired figure darted through the forest, keeping her chakra concealed as she examined each notable mark, sign, growth.

Earlier, Naruto had sent out a Kage Bunshin henge'd as "Fuuko" to scope out the Forest of Death. If she were to be completely honest, she had never personally gone to familiarize herself with the place—an action she was sorely regretting never doing—and she had realized this the morning she woke up. She couldn't place any seals or traps, unfortunately, because any she would place that would be strong enough and at a level high enough to fool Orochimaru would undoubtedly kill any Genin unfortunate enough to stumble upon them. A pointless slaughter was not something she was looking for, especially when chances were high that he wouldn't even be caught in her traps, so she had stuck with familiarizing herself with the dangerous grounds.

Her sapphire eyes darted around as she absorbed her surroundings, taking in each detail. Without preamble, she darted to the side and sped up a tree, stopping once she broke through the foliage and hovered above the trees. She scanned the vicinity, noticing that the tower was not very far from her current position—it would be simple enough for her to make note of the surroundings and know the right direction to travel. Regardless…

Fuuko dove back beneath the shroud of green, heading towards the tower with unrestrained speed. She stopped at the treeline and placed a hidden jutsu shiki as a precaution, just in case a hasty retreat to the tower was needed, and headed back towards the middle of the forest to dispel.

However, just as she neared an appropriate location to disappear, she found herself face-to-face with a familiar visage.

'Sand,' she thought belatedly as she looked down at her feet. She didn't know how long he had been monitoring her, and the thought left her with more than slight ire. First Konohamaru, and now _him_. If she didn't know that she had once trained herself to relax around familiar and friendly chakra signatures, she would've thought that she was losing her edge. She blinked, realizing that there was something inherently wrong with that thought.

_Friendly?_

She looked back up and azure connected with teal, gelid and devoid of outward emotion. "Who are you?" The red-head questioned, his sand swirling in movement with the slight breeze.

Fuuko found herself ambivalent. On one hand, she knew she had to _leave, dispel,_ because she couldn't answer that question. And yet, the strange lack of animosity coming from her once-friend and comrade was startling. Perhaps Kurama was right, and Shukaku _had_ lessened the psychological torture.

"I'm Fuuko," she decided, wondering if he would recognize the name. Her face was concealed, but her hair was left the same shade of blonde as her natural hair. "Aren't you one of the examinees? Shouldn't you be at the exam site?"

He did not react, and instead, in a very Gaara-like fashion continued to stare at her with a gaze most would consider unnerving. He nodded after a few moments of silence continued.

And then, he disappeared in a flurry of sand.

Fuuko smiled solemnly behind her mask. Most likely, the boy had already forgotten about the younger "Fuuko," but in truth the knowledge didn't bother her as much as it might've. It was better this way. She wanted to befriend him as Naruto, after all—not some crafted alias.

Following his example, she disappeared with a quiet pop.

* * *

Like last time, on their way to the testing site they encountered Team Guy. Naruto didn't bother interfering, considering the key to Sasuke's win during the preliminaries hinged on this confrontation (and she had a slight hope that being defeated by someone he hadn't expected would humble him slightly, even if it hadn't quite been all that effective before). Another consistency from previously was that Kakashi had been waiting for them and explained the admittance to the Chuunin Exams. Sakura had been surprised, Sasuke equally so (though he kept it carefully hidden) about the knowledge that, had one of them chickened out, they wouldn't have been allowed to participate. After he disappeared, Sakura and Sasuke moved to the door, but Naruto grabbed them by the arms before they could enter.

Sakura turned to Naruto with a questioning look. "What's wrong, Naruto?"

"I need you two to promise me something," the blonde spoke gravely. "We are a team. Do _not_ make any rash decisions before conferring with the others, because we need to work together. And in the event where you are unable to contact anyone, _find us_."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "… You know what happens during the exams."

'More than you think,' she wanted to say. Instead, she rolled her eyes. "I know as much as anyone else my rank. There is a reason why the Chuunin Exams are a big deal, and even if we don't know exactly what happens, exercising prudence is the wisest course of action."

Sakura pursed her lips and nodded. "… Alright. Who should be the team leader? Most Chuunin Exams have a survival portion, don't they?"

Naruto blinked a few times before nodding slowly. She hadn't expected this to come up, not until the second round—and she certainly hadn't expected Sakura to make the deduction. She always was the real brain of their team, she figured. "Well, I was thinking we could share leadership—like I said, this is a team effort. Depending on the situation, who we defer to would change. I _would_ nominate myself for leadership, but I doubt either of you would really agree to that." She looked down as she rubbed her temples, not noticing the skeptical looks her two teammates exchanged. "We can focus on the idea of leadership once the survival round comes into play. Most likely, we'll be more pressed to find shelter and food, anyway, so we can think on it then."

She looked back up at her teammates and grinned. "Ready?"

Sakura nodded with a determined look set on her features, and Sasuke turned to open the door.

Almost immediately, the other rookies crowded around Team Seven and began conversing, just like last time.

And just like last time, Kabuto walked towards them.

The conversation was the same. Only, Naruto studiously observed a wall on the opposite side of the room, refusing to so much as look at the man.

She recalled little about him, and if she were to be perfectly honest, he bothered her little in the grand scheme of things. And yet, there was still _something_ about him that grated on her nerves, like the persistent buzzing of a fly that just wouldn't go away.

Kabuto by no means was a threat. He, from what she heard from Sasuke, was the type who clung to an ideal and his hopes, his plans, without having a real idea of who he was. He attached himself to others, drew strength from them—from _serving_ them—and knew no other life. It was almost pitiful, considering Sai was once rather similar. But his pitiful life couldn't justify the acts he had committed, the deeds he _would_ commit in this time, and it took a constant vigilance to _not_ tear his throat out.

Within her mindscape, Kurama chuckled. They both knew it would be ridiculously easy to commit the act without anyone finding out the true perpetrator—even in the presence of the hundreds in the room.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto turned to her teammate, brow raised as she questioned the full address, but then her eyes widened at Kabuto as she realized why her name had been spoken. "Uzumaki Naruto, huh? Isn't he your teammate, Sasuke-kun?"

The raven-haired boy nodded. "Show me."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "Alright. It'll just take a mome—"

Naruto loomed over Kabuto, her foot crushing his hand over the cards splayed on the ground as she held his shocked gaze with an impassive look. "Yakushi Kabuto. I wouldn't say it's a very good idea to reveal the strengths of _fellow Konoha-nin_ to a room of enemies, 'ttebayo. I thought you were supposed to be a _young genius_."

She stepped back as he cradled his broken hand, and she watched as a thin sheen of almost undetectable green chakra emanated from the uninjured hand. Though he was shaking and his eyes were wide, she could see the calculating, measuring and deadly glint in his onyx orbs, the way his mind was making connections about her, albeit false. His act was convincing and he probably had everyone in the room but her fooled, but it was not enough.

Naruto knew that she had taken a bit of a risk warning him in this manner, but in her defense, she couldn't take any chances. Any attention brought to her was welcomed, as she could easily defend herself from foes such as Kabuto, Orochimaru, or even Danzou if he had his eye on the exams. But she didn't know the mechanics behind those ninja info cards, and if they happened to reveal information that she _could not_ allow _anyone_ to see, then the damage would have been much more than what she had just done to prevent it.

Suddenly, the door slammed open, eliciting flinches from most present. "Alright, settle down! Find your assigned seats, sit down, and I'll go over the rules."

Kabuto hurried away like the scared Genin he was acting as, and before the rest of the rookie nine could escape, Naruto called out to Shikamaru and Hinata.

"What the hell was that, Naruto?" The Nara questioned immediately, face unusually grim. Hinata nervously stared down at her hands.

"I need the two of you to listen to me, and it has to do with that," the blonde hissed quietly. Hinata looked up at her questioningly. "Make sure you tell your teammates to avoid Kabuto. If he approaches _any_ of you, do your best to keep away from him without alerting him. Got it?"

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes but nodded. Hinata blushed slightly at the azure gaze but inclined her head in understanding.

"I understand," the Nara started, "but I want to know why. He seemed normal mostly, maybe a little off, but you almost acted like he had _killed_—"

A cough made the three of them turn to the front of the room, where an irate Ibiki stood with his arms crossing his chest. "If you three _maggots_ are done…"

With a last glance, they hurried towards their desks, Naruto and Hinata in the same direction. Same seating arrangement, she realized, as she gave the room a quick perusal.

As Ibiki explained the rules in his intimidating-interrogator fashion (but with a smile this time, and she had to admit, it was _effective_) Naruto closed her eyes and allowed her chakra to reach at wisps of nature chakra. It worked to calm her nerves regarding the next part of the exam, and she knew she had to be prepared.

"Begin!"

At the mark, like the diligent Genin she currently was, Naruto flipped over the test and began scrawling the answers on the sheet. She finished within five minutes, not caring for intellectual creativity because there was something else she wanted to do.

Flipping over her paper, she began doodling. Now, she wasn't as good at art as Sai (despite all of her calligraphy work and practice with Fuuinjutsu, her artistic skills never improved) but she was… Decent.

Regardless, she began her soon-to-be work of art, and spent the majority of the test period on it. Nodding to herself after she finished, she inspected it. It was less of a picture than a comic, actually, because she had drawn small speech bubbles to give "personality" to the 2D characters. In the top right corner was an older Sakura, surrounded by rubble, unconscious forms of her teammates and a stray splatter of blood near her feet. She was smiling sweetly and the speech bubble above her said, "Oops, I guess I used too much strength…" In the top left corner was Naruto as she last remembered herself, wearing her Hokage robes and sitting at her desk with a deadened expression, towers of paperwork surrounding her. The bottom left corner had a teenaged Sasuke with his legs curled up to his chest and a speech bubble above him saying, "I'm an emo bastard," the members of Taka patting the dust and cobwebs off of him. The bottom right had Kakashi with stars in his eyes, his hands clasped together over his heart. He was surrounded by multiple (and hypothetical) future releases of Icha Icha, all encompassed by plenty of sparkles.

In the middle of the paper wasn't of the humorous sort, but brought a slight smile to the blonde's face anyway. It was Konoha as she remembered it, well after the Pain attack and after the rebuilding effort had been declared a success. Her hand itched to add the skyscrapers above the Hokage Monument and the signs of industrialization she remembered with even more clarity, but she had to remind herself that _those_ details weren't real.

Shaking her head, she looked at the un-sullied portion of paper just under her work of art, and with a grin, scribbled a small note.

"Alright, now for the final question," Ibiki intoned from the front, leveling a dark gaze at each Chuunin potential. "First, it is up to you whether or not you want to chance taking the question, but if you don't, then your entire team fails!"

"What the hell? Of course we're gonna take it, then!" Kiba exclaimed from his seat, growling. He silenced when the interrogator turned to him sharply.

"… Like I said, it's up to you if you want to try answering the question, and the entire team will fail if one of you abstains. _But_," a sadistic smirk formed on his face, and Naruto felt her eyelid twitch. "If you get the question _wrong_, then you will never be able to take the Chuunin Exams for the rest of your life."

Murmurs exploded into outrage, and one by one the examinees let their discontent known.

"That's impossible, as if my village would let you!"

"You can't do this to us!"

"What the fuck? I didn't come all the way out here just to be told I'm gonna fail before I complete the first portion!"

"_QUIET!_" Ibiki shouted with a growl, and the protests died a swift, merciless death. "As I said, it is your choice. Why risk your entire career on a single question, when you can take the exams next time?"

It didn't take long for people to break. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a team from grass stood up and left, their heads hanging low.

One by one, teams departed quietly, and Naruto could see the difference from this time and last. After twenty minutes had passed, a mere fourteen teams remained, a stark contrast to the vast number from last time. It was a strange feeling, knowing that the speech of her twelve-year-old self had managed to keep almost twice the current number of people in their seats.

Even though she had been intending to adhere to the timeline for the exams, she had little worries regarding changing this small detail. Not only was her previous speech a blur in her memory, narrowing down the competition would help—as long as the key players of the Chuunin exams—being Konoha's teams and Team Baki—passed, then there was nothing to fear.

Despite herself, even though she knew what would happen next, she was getting restless. All her sage training could barely keep her where she sat, precisely _because_ she knew what was going to happen soon. It really didn't help that this particular portion of the test was taking _much_ longer than it had last time.

"Last warning," Ibiki stated quietly but with a stern tone. "If you take the chance to answer this question, you might never be able to become a Chuunin for the rest of your—"

'Morino-san, please, hurry it up,' Naruto thought irritably. 'We don't have all day to play your _games_.'

A horrified silence descended around the room. Ibiki's lips curled into a derisive smirk, and the blonde smacked her forehead—she had spoken _aloud_. She couldn't even _remember_ the last time she had made such a foolish, juvenile mistake, and the blonde was seriously beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with her, to antagonize the man not once—but _twice_ with the ease of breathing. She couldn't help but wonder, 'why the _hell_ is it so difficult to remain amiable with this guy?'

"Are you sure, _brat_?"

Naruto paused, drawing herself up so that she sat with the poise she recalled as Hokage, her hands resting comfortably on her desk. She smiled at him, her eyes crinkled with amusement but _intent_ visible in her azure orbs. "I'm certain."

A few moments passed before Ibiki let out a quiet huff—laughter, she realized belatedly—and the until-now unnoticed tension dissipated. "I can see it, now," Ibiki muttered under his breath, before turning to the room. "I suppose congratulations are in order. To the forty-two that still remain, good job. You passed."

A shocked stillness settled in the room, and Ibiki's gnarled smile grew as the room erupted into chaos once again, Chuunin potentials asking inane questions such as, "what the FUCK!?" and "what the hell do you mean!?"

Ibiki raised a hand, his eyes glancing to Naruto briefly before returning to the masses. "That was the test. As I'm sure many of you had realized, the purpose of this test was to test your information gathering, in efficiency, effectiveness, and subtlety. Information is our strength, but sometimes, we will find ourselves without it. In these instances, it is important to have the tools and resources to collect data and level the playing field."

"But what about the 'final question'?" A Genin asked, scowling.

Ibiki gave a feral grin before turning to Naruto, his eyes shining with something malicious. "You, brat. Explain."

Naruto blinked lazily, slightly surprised. "… Wha? What makes you think I know?"

The interrogator let out a slightly irritated, partly amused huff. "Try."

The blonde narrowed her eyes but decided to humor him. "… There was no 10th and final question. Or rather, you asking us if we wanted to take this hypothetical final question _was_ the question." She leaned back in her seat and rested her hands over her stomach, her eyes never leaving the interrogator's. "As Genin, we won't find ourselves in the position to make decisions, but as Chuunin, the chances of us being the leader of a cell are raised. In these situations, decisions need to be made, such as weighing the importance of accomplishing something that may mean the end of your life if you attempt, but will spell the end of the village if you fail."

Naruto decidedly didn't like the predatory glint that steadily grew in the man's eyes as she explained. "What the brat said is right. As Genin, it's obvious that failure is not an option," he grinned, and everyone in the room likely came to the unanimous conclusion that smiles from Morino Ibiki spelled disaster. He removed his bandana, revealing multitudes of scars. "But as Chuunin, you _better_ put your neck on the line before you give up. Because sometimes, information is _more important_ than life."

Naruto could practically feel the nervousness in the air. She wanted to protest that idea, wanted to say that, in some cases, this ideal _wasn't_ the best course of action and that most of the time there _is_ a choice. But she understood this method he was working around. At a younger age, it was best to impress the more morbid, negative consequences of their career to prepare them for the worst, and allow them to come to their own conclusions after time in the field. Not to mention the blatant show of, "we're not tree-huggers now, are we?" in the face of other nations that was equally the purpose of this. It was natural for hosting villages to increase their vigilance and severity during the exams, to give potential future enemies the message that going against _them_ wasn't wise.

The blonde suddenly wanted to sigh and cradle her forehead. _Politics_.

Suddenly, a blurred ball of black crashed through the window and everyone (who wasn't expecting it) gasped in surprise. Naruto gave up her internal fight, allowing herself to sigh and cradle her forehead.

"This is NO TIME to be celebrating!" Anko shouted as her banner swayed proudly behind her. "I'm Mitarashi Anko, the proctor for the second test! You maggots better hope you're ready for it, because it'll be a true test of skill!"

Her eyes narrowed as she observed the crowd. "Tch, fourteen teams. I guess that isn't too—" She abruptly halted when she made eye-contact with Naruto, who just regarded her with half interest.

The blonde lifted a hand in a tentative greeting. "Hey?"

Anko's face suddenly grew several shades darker to a deep, _furious_ crimson. "Y-YOOOOUU!" She bellowed, pointing an accusing finger at Naruto as multiple veins popped on her forehead. "I've been looking for you and your DAMN MENTOR, you little _SHIT_!"

Naruto could feel the inquisitive, frightened, and utterly confused looks aimed at her from the rest of the Genin in the room and shrugged. She was fast getting used to this, she realized. "Can you blame me? Being chased down by a blood-thirsty, pissed-off Tokubetsu kunoichi isn't exactly a sight that elicits the urge to sit down for tea and senbei." She crossed her arms as she regarded a slightly unsettled Anko. "So, what's the next exam?"

The snake mistress' face contorted into an amalgamation of emotions, the most prevalent being irritation, before finally settling for a tenebrous grin that was mostly teeth. "… Hmph. I'll explain the details once we relocate. Let's get going, you shitty _brats_!" She stomped out of the room, and with obvious hesitance the Genin slowly followed after her.

Naruto felt a hand on her shoulder stop her from proceeding, and was surprised when she turned to see the rookie nine.

Kiba eyed the door before turning to Naruto with a pained grimace. "The hell was _that_ all about, Naruto? What did you _do_?"

"I'd like to know as well," Shino supplied quietly. "Your mannerisms in the presence of our two proctors were vastly different from what I recall."

Naruto sighed. "I'd like to know, too, honestly. I kinda know why _Anko_ is pissed, but I don't know why Morino-san was so focused on me."

"Maybe because you antagonized him," Sasuke pointed out quietly, surprisingly without the derisive tone she was certain he would have used previously.

She nodded in agreement, though she also felt it had to do with his initial encounter with her "future self," because she knew that _her own_ irritability with the man stemmed from that. He didn't know that "Fuuko" and "Naruto" were actually the exact same person, not two iterations from different times, but it could still affect how he viewed her supposedly younger form.

"U-um, Naruto-kun…" The blonde turned to Hinata, who 'eeped' quietly before turning her eyes away. "S-should I tell…?"

The blonde sobered, turning to regard Shikamaru as well. "Yeah. Shika, Hinata-chan, be sure to tell them, yeah?" They nodded, to the confusion of the rest of the rookie nine. Naruto gestured to her teammates. "Let's go."

They nodded, and after exchanging goodbyes—well, in Sakura and Ino's case, exchanging barbs and challenges on who could get there first—they quickly departed for the setting of the second exam.

* * *

Ibiki sighed as he walked around the room, examining each test paper.

Many had managed to successfully fill in at least half of the questions… But unfortunately, many of them were still wrong. It seemed that some had copied off of those who hadn't realized the ploy and attempted to answer with their minimal knowledge. Perhaps it was a sign that he would need to rework the exam; clearly, the Chuunin potentials did not know how to differentiate actual intel from falsified information.

His lips twisted in disgust. They'd _wish_. It was a sign of inattentiveness from the Jounin sensei or the Academy from their respective villages if they did not know enough to successfully gather intelligence and separate falsities from truth. He supposed it wasn't exactly something that could be taught, and most eventually learned how to after a few years in subterfuge and misdirection—some learned the _hard_ way—but it was still a source of slight irritation that so many had failed to collect the correct information.

He had been pleasantly surprised by Haruno Sakura's paper, however. She had answered all of the questions sufficiently and with accuracy, but there was a clear lack of intel gathering on her part—the fact that the girl had _shown her work_ made the fact glaringly obvious. She could make a good Chuunin in the future, if she learned more about their career and lost the innocence that shrouded her so clearly. Perhaps she would do well in the intelligence department then; she certainly had the mind for it.

Uchiha Sasuke had done equally well, and had managed to gather all of the correct answers. The unfortunate mark on his record, however, was that his Sharingan was painfully obvious, and had the test been one or two questions longer, he would have been disqualified. Despite this, Ibiki had seen the way the boy had quickly managed to deduce the true intent of the test, and had acted accordingly. He would make a fine Chuunin in this regard, even though teamwork wasn't aptly measured with this particular method. Anko would be the one to truly test that.

Ibiki paused as he observed Naruto's own work. He quickly flipped the test over, ignoring the random scribbles, and narrowed his eyes at the succinct, quickly scrawled answers. To his surprise and curiosity, they were all correct. There were no signs of step by step processing that his (her, he corrected absently) pink-haired teammate had shown, but Ibiki was _certain_ that he had seen Naruto begin answering immediately. There had been no major fluctuation in her chakra prior to him speaking to indicate an activated jutsu, and she had quite literally turned the test over and begun answering as if she already knew the answers.

It was the reason why he had questioned her about the purpose of the test, afterwards. It seemed as if she had already known what to expect, and he didn't know whether to be impressed or angered by this. Outsmarted by a _Genin_. Him, _Morino Ibiki,_ the man who lasted through more than seven instances of torture and _lived to tell about it._

He shook his head, turning the paper over to examine the strange doodles he had seen earlier. It wasn't as if there wasn't the chance that "Fuuko" had told Naruto about it, he realized. In fact, it was very well possible that the woman had informed her younger counterpart about it (and the thought made a slight irritation build as he realized that she could be mocking him).

Ibiki let out a quiet huff of laughter at the strange doodles he saw. He'd heard about the blonde's wish to be Hokage, and it was a good sign that she seemed to understand that the position, and many regarding diplomacy, were not as glorious as many viewed them as, most often entailing reams upon reams of paperwork. She clearly had a certain level of respect for the other female teammate in their unit, and perhaps saw the potential that Ibiki had seen earlier—though, he certainly wouldn't have imagined the frail-looking young blossom as the slightly demented demolisher depicted. He frowned slightly at the image of her male teammate, finding it amusing that she didn't seem to be caught up in the boy's supposed charms but worrisome that her views between her two teammates contrasted so greatly. He had watched their interactions, however, and nothing had hinted at a particular disdain for the boy, so there was most likely nothing to worry about.

He almost choked on spit at the image of Hatake and those _books_. Enough said.

The interrogator examined the scenery in the middle of the paper, depicting Konoha in all her glory. It seemed… Different, however, for reasons the man couldn't quite place. He attributed it to the fact that her drawing overall wasn't very "clean," as lines were sketched over and constantly erased leading to smudges and lack of clarity.

His eyes lowered to the words presented in surprisingly neat hand-writing at the bottom of the page.

"_Fuuko says hi, and that you need to practice smiling. You'd make Uchiha Madara cry."_

It was by accident, truly, that he had torn the page in half.


	17. The Exams: Round Two

**Rating****: T**

**A/N****: ****Sorry for the wait guys. This chapter is extra long as an apology.**

**(This chapter was _tough_. For the longest amount of time I was stuck on ~75%-80% progress, all because of the damn fight scenes. I rewrote each of them at least twice—one in particular I revisualized and remade five times.)**

**On another note, I want to say something. When I was re-reading through chapters to remember the storyline, **_**I realized that the prologue didn't have Shino**_**. I COMPLETELY forgot about him! I added his portion since then, but… Wow. I literally, **_**completely**_** forgot about him. I was going to change it, but I wanted to wait and see if anyone else noticed. 10 months and over 300 views later, no one did. (Poor Shino, you really ****are**** easily forgotten. I don't think I've ever seen a better example of this)**

**Word count is ~19.5k.**

**Disclaimer****: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**The Exams: Round Two**

"This will be the site of the next portion of the exam!" Anko shouted, gesturing to the forest behind her. She brought up a ream of papers and held them up so that they were visible to everyone present. "Now before we get started, I need all of you to sign this!"

Confused murmurs echoed throughout, and the snake mistress only smiled. It wasn't a nice smile.

"This forest is called the Forest of Death for a reason. These forms are to make sure that, when you die—and trust me, some of you _will_ die—Konoha, the Chuunin and myself involved are _not_ held responsible. You'll turn in the forms to the booth behind me after I finish explaining what's going to happen here."

She passed the files to the closest Genin (who looked a second from fainting), and the papers slowly made their way around the disturbed crowd. "Alright. So the second part of the exam is, simply put, survival."

Naruto felt Sakura go ramrod straight beside her, and turned to place a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. "We'll figure out the semantics, like leadership and priorities once we enter. Don't worry right no—"

"We're fine with you calling the shots for now," Sasuke interrupted quietly, not turning to face either of them. Naruto looked at him in surprise. "It'll be easier that way. Anything else, if you need help, we can figure something out along the way."

The blonde smiled, patting the Uchiha on the back. "Thanks." It certainly made things easier.

"Around the Forest of Death are forty-four locked gates. Within the perimeter are three major sections of land; forest, river, and the tower itself. From the gates to the tower, situated in the center, there is about a ten kilometer radius all around." Anko withdrew two scrolls from her coat and held them above her head for the gathered hopefuls to see. "The goal is to reach the tower with two scrolls, a heaven scroll and an earth scroll. Each team will be given one scroll each, and considering the number of Genin, there will be seven of each type. You may use your weapons, your jutsu, traps—anything you have at your disposal at the moment—to obtain the complementing scroll to your own."

Naruto heard a few shinobi behind her scoff, giving snide remarks about the low-level challenge.

"… But that's not all," Anko continued, a downright malevolent grin stretched across her lips. "There is a five day limit—exactly one-hundred and twenty hours. Anyone who doesn't manage to complete their task and proceed to the tower within five days is automatically eliminated."

"Five days!?" Ino shouted, accompanied by Choji's, "WHAT ABOUT DINNER!?"

"You're all on your own," the snake mistress replied flippantly. "It's a forest, there's a river, you'll figure something out."

She lifted her hand, holding one finger up. "Now, about disqualification. Firstly, those that don't make it to the tower within the time limit with both scrolls will not be qualified to move on." A second finger rose to join the first. "Secondly, those that lose a teammate or end up with a _dead_ teammate cannot progress, either."

Her hand dropped, and she rubbed her chin. "… Hm, I suppose there actually _is_ a rule. You are not allowed to look at the inside of the scroll until you make it to the tower. Anyone that does will be in for a bit of a surprise. Understand?"

She did not wait for any signs of affirmative and turned to walk towards the booth. "Turn in your three forms in exchange for your scroll. You'll choose a gate to start from, and the exams will start when I say they will."

One by one, teams went to the booth to turn in their forms, and emerged with their scrolls—hidden, of course. After Team Seven received their's, a heaven scroll, they selected a gate and waited for the announcement.

Naruto coughed, gaining the attention of her two teammates. "I have a plan, but you guys might not like it."

Sakura's brow furrowed. "What is it?"

"First, hold out your hands for me," the blonde replied simply. When they did, she tapped their palms and they watched in awe as a Fuuinjutsu inscription appeared briefly before fading away.

Sasuke looked up from his hand. "… What was that?"

"A precaution," Naruto stated quietly. "That version will only last for three days at the most, but it may fade quicker. You felt it on your skin, right?" At the affirmative nods, she continued. "You'll be able to tell once it's gone. Be sure to tell me if it disappears, okay?"

"What's the plan?" The Uchiha inquired, eyes trailing back to his palm.

Here, Naruto sighed, honestly wondering if her teammates would agree to her plan without a fuss. "We're going to find a spot to camp out today, somewhere near the water. I will set up a perimeter, and the two of you will stay there for the duration of the day while I go looking for a scroll—"

"No," Sasuke intoned quietly but firmly.

The blonde rubbed her brow, rewording what she said. The direct method had been worth a try. "Alright, here's plan B. I set up a perimeter, we all stay and wait for another team to pass us by—a trap, and we will have the upper-hand. If we lay our foundation near the river we are bound to come across a few teams, and we can filch their scrolls. With the water source, we could stay for an extended period of time."

Sakura and Sasuke stared at her for a moment before nodding. "I agree with the plan," Sakura stated quietly, turning to their male teammate. "Sasuke?"

"Hn."

Naruto nodded. She didn't feel a _debilitating_ amount of remorse for half-lying to her teammates—not when there were other things to worry about. She could tell them after she retrieved a scroll, but for now, she just needed them to stay within the confines of one of her barrier seals. Where they would be safe.

She had the full intention of leaving a Kage Bunshin with them, creating hundreds to search the forest and going off to find a scroll herself. They couldn't afford to behave as haphazardly as they had before, and if it was up to her, she'd keep them in the protection of her barrier seal for the entirety of the second exam.

The speakers crackled to life.

"Alright, brats!" Anko's voice boomed around them. "The gates open when the Exams officially start! Don't forget to get the complimentary scroll to the one you received. Try not to die. Have fun!"

A harsh buzzer sounded throughout the forest, before abruptly cutting off and leaving only silence. The gates disengaged and swung open.

The Second Exam had begun.

* * *

The first thing they did was look for the river.

For this part, Naruto held back and allowed her teammates to figure out the way. She could have flooded the forest with her Kage Bunshin to find the water source quicker but she had been curious to see if either of them would implement their own plans without her prodding. (And how strange it was, taking this standpoint almost like a freaking _sensei_)

Surprisingly, Sakura had been the first to figure out where the river was. None of the gates were numbered, purposefully done to disorient Chuunin potentials, but Sakura had made note of the map Anko showed them briefly and judged the direction they should travel after being let into the forest. To be fair, they had purposefully selected a gate close to the river—but it was still a detail that not many newly-minted Genin would have noticed.

Team Seven had found the river within the first twenty minutes, and traveled up the current until they were about three-quarters of the way to the tower. It was afternoon by then.

"Sakura, you and I will work on getting food," Sasuke stated simply. He turned to Naruto. "Are you sure you can set the perimeter on your own?"

The blond grinned. "Of course! Leave it to me."

Sasuke nodded. "Gather some wood and kindle while you're on it." With his piece said, he headed into the river with Sakura to catch their dinners. Naruto darted off into the trees, sending out a reinforced clone to continue her original plan.

With the smaller numbers, she couldn't chance her team failing to retrieve the scroll. There was also the issue of Guy, Kurenai and Asuma's teams, but she was more focused on getting her own team to pass first and foremost.

Her clone knew what to do.

With a single nod, it disappeared, and Naruto resigned herself to collecting resources the old-fashioned way.

* * *

He had been avoiding her.

… Well, not quite. He had been behaving relatively normal by everyone else's standards, considering he was not the most social individual. But regardless, _he himself_ knew that he had been avoiding Naruto. He didn't do it in the most obvious ways, he liked to think. He was a Shinobi after all, and giving telling signs was not exactly… Wise.

No, he truly did his best to remain "normal." But somewhere along the way he had forgotten what normal even _was_, and when he remembered, he realized that wasn't an option, either. Because before, "normal" had been ignoring both Sakura and Naruto, viewing them as the unfortunate burdens that he was required to have. They were little more than distractions, and the whole idea of working together had grated on his nerves.

But he had been wrong, and Naruto had proven as much. She had literally _beaten him over the head_ for it.

So, yes, he was avoiding her. Averting his eyes at certain times when he realized he was staring too much, refusing to look at her in the eyes when she addressed him.

To be truthful, the fact that he was avoiding her bothered him.

(_Coward_, his conscience constantly hissed at him, _you won't ever become strong enough if you keep doing this._)

He had to face her, he knew this. But at the same time, he refused to—because facing her meant either attempting to refute her claims, or accepting them. Accepting that he was wrong, _sorely wrong_. And even if he had realized that, yes, he had made erroneous judgements regarding his team, he wasn't quite ready to accept everything.

From where Sasuke sat, staring at the flickering fire, he frowned.

… Stubborn.

She had called him stubborn. And as he contemplated, reflected on his thoughts, he realized that he really had no room to argue. She was right, and he had only been worse before.

His "talk" with Naruto had weighed heavily on his mind for a while, and before that, what Fuuko had spoken to him that day on the pier made him think. Question certain things.

They had both seemed to have their individual bones to pick with him, he noticed, but they both mentioned the "truth," stressed looking _underneath the underneath_. And it _frustrated_ him.

Because what was there to see? What "truth" was there? It was obvious that they had both been referring to Itachi, or at least the situation itself as a whole even if they didn't outright state it. To him it was simple: Itachi killed the clan, and now, Sasuke had to kill Itachi to avenge them. That was how it had always been.

… And yet, he couldn't just write off their words, couldn't ignore _Naruto's_ words. Because she hadn't just been spouting pretty words in an effort to convince him that there were other, "better" ways to occupy his time. No, she didn't take the peaceful route, she beat her words into him. And the look of despair, the _grief_ written on her face as she had spoken… That sort of thing couldn't be feigned, not even by the best Shinobi.

Despite himself, it made Sasuke wonder if he was truly as alone as he had thought.

It was an asinine question, really, but one he had two different perspectives on. One part of him, the stubborn part, still clung to the idea that she was _wrong_ and just a _stupid dead last_, that she knew nothing and should be ignored. But another part of him had recognized the sincerity in her voice, the pained, almost _bitter_ truth in her tone when she said that she would always be there for him.

Her words held a weight that he hadn't been willing to accept, because it meant that he was _wrong_.

It meant that the world wasn't as black and white as he wanted it to be.

Naruto, was… She was a contradiction of herself. Or, maybe, she was a contradiction of what _he_ saw her as, because she had proven to be anything but what he had written her off as.

Because Naruto was supposed to be an idiot. She wasn't_._

Naruto was supposed to be the weak, useless dead last. She wasn't.

Naruto was supposed to be a headstrong, idiotic _boy_ with a ridiculous, one-sided rivalry with Sasuke.

_She_ wasn't.

Sasuke scowled as he clenched his fists in frustration, surreptitiously glancing to the unconscious blond as he did so.

He had already had almost a full week of thinking, and he was not nearly as angry as he had been before being talked down by her. Because now, he could admit that he had been acting… Irrationally. Stupid. Stubborn. Prejudiced. _Blind. Prideful._

Even though it was difficult to admit it, he could—in privacy, at least. And the fact it was a challenge within itself only affirmed her words, making it a sour but believable pill to swallow. He couldn't help but wonder if he would have ever realized just how narrow-minded he was had she not done what she had. And while her method was certainly rough, Sasuke was almost certain that it was necessary.

(How much worse would it have been had he realized _later_?)

He didn't know if he should be disgruntled and annoyed about the fact that the _dobe_, of all people, was the one to point this out to him, or _thankful_ anyone bothered to look past the "prized Uchiha-survivor" title and actually tell him to begin with.

Sasuke felt a small jolt of surprise at the thought. Because at some point, he had stopped referring to her in a derisive manner. If he didn't know any better, he'd think it was almost… Teasing? Friendly?

He stared at the fire and mulled over the idea.

And after a few minutes, he realized… Perhaps that wasn't so bad.

Because, if there was anything he had gleaned from the confrontation and his thoughts… It was that Naruto understood him, possibly more than he understood himself.

And what better friend to have than someone who knew you?

The Uchiha snorted, settling onto the ground to watch the stars.

He still had his vendetta, that much he knew. He wouldn't ever be able to simply move on_,_ not when _that man_ was still out there.

… But perhaps, it wasn't so bad to make bonds while he was still in Konoha.

Even if they _were_ in the form of a perpetually-late sensei, a fangirl, and the class dobe.

(And again, he noted that his references to them hadn't held the smallest amount of spite at all.)

* * *

Naruto sat on her perch in the tree, dangling her feet over the branch as she watched the sun rise.

She was waiting. Had been for a while, since she took her watch shift after Sasuke. She was supposed to wake Sakura up, but not only was she waiting and therefore had to be _awake—_she knew that she couldn't relax enough to get actual restful sleep. Not considering what she knew had happened in the Forest of Death last time.

A small, concentrated burst of her own chakra alerted her to a presence a few meters behind her, and she turned when her clone landed next to her.

"Got the scroll, boss," the clone said, handing her the Earth Scroll which she immediately stored away in her pack.

"The others?"

The clone only grinned, and with a final salute, dispersed.

Memories from the clone flooded her mind as images and experiences she had not seen or personally experienced popped to the forefront of her mind. She had helped teams 8 and 10 out of a few situations, and had then proceeded to rescue Tenten from the Ame Team—all without being detected, thankfully.

Apparently, Gaara's team had already made it to the end like last time. There was no sign of Orochimaru, or Kabuto and his team. The Oto team had been spotted near the northern perimeter, but based on her observations she believed that they already had both scrolls and were headed to the tower.

Naruto nodded to herself, satisfied with the work of her clone.

A yawn alerted her to her teammates, who were slowly waking up to the morning rays. Sasuke got up to stretch and Sakura, who had been half-asleep, suddenly jerked awake when she saw the position of the sun.

"Naruto!" She shouted, glaring at the blond as she jumped down from her perch. Naruto only gave a sheepish, but completely unrepentant smile. "You were supposed to wake me up for my shift!"

Sasuke frowned as he turned to her. "Did you stay up all night?"

The blond shrugged. "I'm in the middle of my awareness training. Staying up for long periods of time helps to train the senses to remain sharp, even without proper rest," she supplied easily. Not entirely a lie; she _was_ still working on training her younger body to adjust to the sudden shift. Just… It was something she had completed a while ago, and only repeated the process in small increments on occasion to make sure she remained sharp.

"… It won't affect my performance, don't worry," she added as an afterthought.

Sakura glanced uncertainly to Sasuke, who's eyes were narrowed.

Even if they didn't seem entirely convinced, they continued on with their daily activities and continued waiting for a team that wouldn't come.

* * *

The Evening of the second day saw that Naruto was on lookout again.

It should be noted that, after the war, Naruto had made it a habit to never split her attention where unnecessary. Even though she was fully capable of keeping watch while distracted (especially in this environment, where her biggest threat was Orochimaru and not a damn _God_) she tended to keep the majority of her focus to her surroundings, as most shinobi would. However, she had confidence in her barrier that deflected any and all that she didn't allow in. Due to this, she had relaxed, and fell to her thoughts once more.

She was calm, she realized.

It was strange, because despite everything that had happened up to that point, despite what she _knew_ could very well happen a second time… She was _calm_.

After a while of mentally repeating the bewildering phrase, she rationalized that it was because of her confidence in the measures she had taken.

Sasuke would not be getting the cursed seal this time around. And even if he somehow _did_ through a slip of judgement or a distraction, she was capable of removing it. If she were to be honest, the only thing that she was worried about…

A frown formed on Naruto's face. Could she afford to be so confident in the idea that, without the cursed seal, Sasuke would remain in Konoha?

If she were to be honest with herself, she couldn't afford to devote anymore time and effort into her teammate than what she had allotted, which ended after stopping Orochimaru's attempt to conscript the boy during the exams. Because almost immediately _after_ the Chuunin Exams, she needed to leave Konoha—there was little she could do in regards to Obito and Black Zetsu while within the confines of her village.

Even if she was promoted to Chuunin, the missions she would be sent on would permit little freedom, between the Chuunin and Genin she'd be assigned with and the missions themselves. Chuunin missions were not of the several-month-long variety that she would need.

And while she _could_ send out her reinforced clones, the problem started there: whenever her clones found something, they would need to dispel to send the information back to her, and it would take time to send a replacement clone as well. While Kage Bunshin were essentially independent for the most part, it left little chance for error whether internal or external if she were to act on the _outside_.

She had considered using her clones and the Hiraishin in conjunction of one another, but that wouldn't work either. To utilize the two properly she _needed_ to fully master Sage Mode, again. Even though simply grasping at the wisps of nature energy worked for _her_ in regards to sensing, her clones were not actual physical beings and were only chakra constructs. The little they would be able to gather without the use of Sage Mode would be converted to actual energy, not enhanced senses as she needed in order to travel long distances with the Hiraishin. (And there was the very _real_ possibility of them overloading on Nature chakra—she did _not_ want to die from _becoming a stone statue_, of all things)

And all of this was excluding the very real fact that she couldn't necessarily train to the extent she wished within or even _near_ Konoha—even her seals had their limits to what they could contain without alerting anyone.

And that brought her back to her main concern: was the _seal_ the deciding factor in Sasuke's choice to leave the village?

She always just _assumed_ that it was (a grievous error, she realized) considering the seal's mind-manipulating properties, but… But Sasuke was never exactly stable. With good reason—after all, it wasn't exactly good for the mental or emotional state, what Itachi had put him through.

Plus she knew how stubborn he could be, especially earlier on when he had still been under the assumption that Itachi was a cold-hearted killer who wanted to "test his strength."

Naruto leaned back against the tree with a sigh.

She could continue believing that keeping Orochimaru from placing the cursed seal on Sasuke would be the only thing she had to do to keep her teammate from defecting. And yet, she also knew that _that alone_ couldn't possibly have been the only driving factor for his defection—though Sasuke had ultimately descended into blind, revenge-induced insanity, he still had most of his facilities and reasoning at _this_ point… Ultimately, it was still his own decision to go to the snake. Not the seal.

Naruto silently wondered if she should try telling him the truth.

'**You and I both know that the chances of him actually **_**believing**_** you are pitifully slim,'** Kurama intoned from within their mind-scape.

'I know,' she replied, frowning. 'I'm just trying to consider everything, okay? And heck, even if he _did_ believe me, what then? Would he still defect to Orochimaru, so that he could gain power to take revenge on _Danzou_?' She shook her head. 'It would deter him from Itachi, but it wouldn't deter him from vengeance as a whole.'

Kurama remained silent as Naruto stared up at the sky. **'… Then what is it that you plan on doing?'**

'… I'll watch,' she replied after a moment, eyes closed. 'I'll watch, observe him. See if I've managed to change him at all.'

'**And?'**

'I'll never actually give up on Sasuke, because I know that he can—and he _will,_ if I have any say in it—redeem himself, eventually.' She sighed. 'But obviously, I can't spend as much time trying to convince him as I did last time. In fact, it'll have to stop pretty much as soon as the Exams are over. Whatever he decides on, I'll have to just accept it and hope that silent support is enough to bring him back. Because there _are_ more important things, larger _threats_ that we, that Konoha, the whole _Shinobi world_, has to worry about.'

Within the mind-scape, Kurama tapped the surface of the water with his claw. **'… And if he doesn't come back?'**

Naruto smiled. 'Then when all is said and done, I'll kick his ass and _make_ him come back to Konoha.'

After that small declaration, their conversation lulled, and Naruto started to feel exhaustion creeping up on her.

She was still alert, but the fact that she had nothing else to double-task on now that she had essentially made her decision (she didn't want to think past Sasuke's potential defection because that would mean thinking about Madara, Obito and Kaguya, something that would be more likely to make her head throb and leave her uneasy) did not help. She couldn't even use her go-to for relative boredom, because while she could probably explain to her teammates that she was just testing out seals and an amateur (not) because of their own ignorance to the subject, she couldn't continue using that pretense if one of her experiments exploded. (Because when she created new, untested seals, that was _exactly_ what they tended to do, experience and accrued knowledge be damned.)

"Naruto."

She shook herself out of her thoughts when a figure jumped to the branch she was perched. She had felt him approach, but assumed he was just going into the forested area to relieve himself or something. Apparently not.

Sasuke's eyes bore into the side of her skull. "Switch."

"Sasuke," Naruto greeted in a bored tone, not bothering to face him. She rubbed her eyes, scowling at the chafing dryness. "And why? I can stay as lookout."

She heard him grunt in faint annoyance. "Because you were on guard the entirety of last night and haven't slept."

"Not the _entirety_ of last night," she replied smartly, glancing at him. "You were on watch for three hours before me."

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, but paused as confusion and hesitance seemed to take over. He closed his mouth with an audible click and frowned, as though disgruntled at his lack of an appropriate reply.

Eventually, he settled down on the branch beside her, his eyes on their meagre camp before them. "… You're a girl." Naruto turned to him with a raised brow in silent question, watching as his brow furrowed. "You… You need sleep, don't you?"

Naruto blinked, her other brow raising to join the other. He wasn't… Talking about _beauty sleep_, of all things, was he?

… What a disturbing thought.

"… What does that have to do with anything?" She settled for a question, inwardly between amusement and worry for her teammate's choice of reason. "You know, if I were Ino or Sakura, I'd be offended at the vaguely prejudiced comment you just threw at me. No matter how accidental it was."

She eventually settled for amusement at the owlish expression on her teammate. Yes, Ino and Sakura would have been offended… But not to the extent _Sasuke_ was probably thinking, which probably entailed indignant screams and beat-downs, him being the object of their affections notwithstanding. Even if the two were capable of being frightening kunoichi and hated slights against their gender, the pair that _Naruto_ remembered would have found a more effective means of comeback than offended screeching.

Sasuke blinked, before averting his eyes with a barely concealed grimace. "… That's not what I meant."

Naruto watched her teammate with amusement and nostalgia. It was hilarious to her that Sasuke, the boy who usually knew _just_ what to say to rile others, was at a complete loss for words when it came to expressing concern for their wellbeing.

Plus, she had to remember that the Sasuke she last remembered wasn't _real,_ no matter how much he resembled the Sasuke sitting beside her. No, the last real memory she had of her teammate was of the cold, indifferent and unshakeable mask, a young teen engulfed by his hatred and pain—only bare snippets of kindness that was quickly snuffed out by frigid declarations and a callous glare. This Sasuke and his reactions, the way Naruto found it almost frighteningly easy to fluster and irritate him into showing blatant emotions…

Well, that was why they were so similar. It was only logical that the Eternal Tsukuyomi would give her the illusion of a teammate that she wanted.

The blond shook herself out of her steadily declining thoughts and gave the Uchiha a vulpine smirk. "Oh? And what did you mean, then?"

Sasuke turned to her with a deadpanned expression. "It's my turn to watch, and you need sleep." His words brooked no argument as he stared at her with a determined gaze, clearly having recovered from his earlier blunder.

Naruto returned his gaze for a moment before shrugging in acquiescence. "… Y'know, it's weird seeing a nice Uchiha Sasuke. But whatever." She leapt down from the branch and walked over to her designated spot by the fire to lie down, curling up on her side to make herself comfortable.

Somehow, speaking to (teasing) Sasuke had resulted in a second wind of sorts. This resulted in her mind going back to it's previous topic, regardless of her hopes.

Yes, "larger problems." She had already decided that Sasuke would be placed on a lower priority should he defect. After all, he had survived previously, and unless she did something that absolutely wrecked the timeline, his own thirst for vengeance (as much as she didn't want that to be the case) would keep him alive during his stay with Orochimaru. (Because, if he did end up going to Orochimaru, it _would_ be for vengeance—certainly not for anything else)

But… What _were_ the "larger problems"?

Naruto's brow furrowed as she thought. In theory, time was a construct that could be altered and changed with the smallest of ripples. Even excluding the fact that she was a time traveler, certain things happened for certain reasons.

The "larger problems"… Was it Orochimaru, who Sasuke had eventually killed on his own, and who had questionable but possibly friendly loyalties towards the end of the war? Kabuto, who at this point was at his weakest and could easily be subdued? Obito, who she could easily defeat in his current state as long as she had Kakashi to back her up? Who she just may be able to get through to, again? Madara, who was dead, and would only pose a real threat if he somehow regained his eyes? Nagato, who _had_ said eyes, but like Obito could probably be reasoned with—and if needed, Naruto could defeat? Black Zetsu, who was weak on his own and could be sealed away? Kaguya, who, while frighteningly powerful (to an extent Naruto was quite certain she would _lose_ even if she had managed to gather the five nations together again) wouldn't be resurrected if Black Zetsu was taken care of?

There were too many "enemies" to consider, some that she didn't even _see_ as enemies, and it left her feeling slightly detached from the confusing situation. In a way, this was a positive result—if she had acted on hatred, panic or grudges, she was bound to make even more errors.

And yet, she wasn't quite sure who to deal with first. Orochimaru was her main concern before because of his influence over Sasuke, who's own influence over herself, Team Seven and the whole of Konoha extended far.

But at the same time, the world wouldn't be threatened with an eternal dream (or worse, a god-like menace) due to either of those two—logically, Obito would be the one she needed to go after, because with the Uchiha came Black Zetsu and Madara's eyes.

Therefore, her main priority was the Akatsuki as a whole. Nagato would reveal himself eventually, and with hope she could convince him to either destroy the Rinnegan or go into hiding. She would then need to go through Obito to somehow destroy or seal Black Zetsu, and technically, the world should be able to move on without the looming threat.

It all sounded so simple, but Naruto didn't want to actually _kill_ them—Nagato, Konan, and Obito in particular. The rest of Akatsuki…

Ah. Of course, she would be dealing with the Akatsuki. Which meant that she would be dealing with _Uchiha Itachi_, who was still _part_ of the group.

The fact that she would be going after the Akatsuki's higher-ups automatically meant that she should expect confrontations with Sasuke and/or Orochimaru and Kabuto; it was essentially a given, if just because _Itachi_ was there.

Naruto grimaced. In a way, simply killing Orochimaru and Kabuto _would_ be the better option, but she also knew that Orochimaru provided protection for Sasuke that he wouldn't have received anywhere else as a missing-nin. Protection from the world that he _needed_ as the young, inexperienced Genin he was. After the Exams she planned on stepping back and away from Sasuke, but she wasn't going to kill off what amounted to the only safe haven for the boy, as fucked up and backwards as it was.

But, there was still something she had to be wary about: time.

The idea of going after the Akatsuki was only with the idea that she had the time to do so, and as she was, she couldn't take any chances. She was fairly certain they didn't start their hunt for the other bijuu until later on, but the fact that Itachi and Kisame had come for her that one time meant that their intentions were already set in stone at this point.

Considering Obito needed the bijuu to complete his plans, she had to act as quickly and efficiently as possible, to keep _as many of the bijuu_ from him as she could.

The fact that she had a tentative connection with them through Kurama helped, and hopefully, by the time she went on her "training trip" the fox would allow her to participate in their little… "gossip sessions."

She didn't know who, if any, of the bijuu had been captured already at this point, but she wasn't willing to hope that all of them were currently safe. It was a pity, because she actually rather liked the bijuu, but attachments to those that are possibly already gone wasn't smart.

"_Naruto_," the vaguely irritated voice of her teammate called out.

She turned over to look up at Sasuke, who had an odd glare in place—odd, because it wasn't quite like his usual ones. "Hm?"

"Get some sleep," he grunted, "nothing bad is going to happen."

Naruto blinked at him for a moment of incomprehension before making a strangled laughing noise. Strangeness of his inquiry aside, his comment was _extremely_ ironic, especially what with her previous train of thought.

Her amusement was apparently taken to offense, and Sasuke frowned. "What? You don't think that I can—"

"_Shut up_," a raspy, decidedly _not_ girly voice growled. Both Naruto and Sasuke turned to their third teammate, nearly giving themselves whiplash. "_Some_ people are trying to sleep, you noisy _idiots_."

And with that, Sakura settled back into a peaceful, quiet slumber.

Naruto blinked. She looked at Sasuke, and by his wide eyes, he was surprised too.

The blond recalled a moment in her future/past where Sakura had once leveled a whole block in Konoha because Naruto, Kiba, and Lee were making too much noise near her neighborhood before the sun had risen. It reminded her of this particular instance.

Before, at this age Sakura would never have shown her bear-like tendencies with anyone around unless it was her family, but… Clearly, _this_ time's Sakura was getting closer and closer to the confident, uninhibited woman Naruto knew and respected, not only in ability, but in mannerisms. Even if she _would_ regret her outburst in the morning… If she remembered it.

With a quiet, stifled laugh—because she didn't want to aggravate the pinkette further—Naruto rolled over and shut her eyes, feeling her worries alleviate somewhat.

She actually did feel safe.

* * *

Towards the afternoon of the third day saw the end of their tentative peace.

"_No one_ has passed by," Sasuke intoned, clearly aggravated. "We need a change of plans, because sitting around here isn't accomplishing anything."

Sakura was similarly unnerved, and the slight twitch of her eyebrow betrayed her irritation.

Both of them were done waiting.

"Guys," Naruto spoke calmly, attempting to placate her two frustrated teammates. "Look, the second portion is only half over. We still have two and a half days—"

"I'm in charge now," Sasuke interrupted, shooting a silencing _look_ at Naruto. "You've been the 'leader' up to now and there hasn't been any progress. We're going to go with what I plan."

Sakura stood up and patted down her skirt, for once without the appeasing grin on her face. Instead, a calm, calculating mask was in place, without a hint of the fangirl she once was.

Naruto sighed as her teammates packed up their belongings, running her fingers over the pouch that held the Earth scroll snuggly.

Not yet.

If they arrived early, Sasuke would be even more susceptible to Orochimaru, and the snake might even attack him at the tower. She wouldn't be able to use one of her barrier seals in the village or at the tower without garnering attention, and that was something she didn't want to attract to Sasuke—Orochimaru's _target_.

Naruto's teeth ground together as she wondered what to do.

She couldn't remember the exact day Orochimaru had attacked them. She couldn't sense him, but that was to be expected—even if he were in the forest, she _wouldn't_ be able to sense the snake Sannin unless she was in Sage Mode. The only thing that kept her from strong-arming her teammates into going back to her original plan was the feeling that Orochimaru had attacked on a previous day—meaning, that she had already changed that.

Still, a simple _feeling_ wasn't enough to alleviate her worries. Ultimately, she really did want to get them all back in the safe confines of one of her barriers… But what could she do to convince her teammates?

As Team Seven walked out of the area, Naruto quietly dismissed her barrier seal, and they walked out seamlessly.

She knew that the situation, at the moment, was her fault. To be fair, it was what she had _expected_ from the plan—after all, she had never thought her teammates would happily sit around doing nothing when, as far as they knew, they had yet to get the matching scroll—but she still could have handled it better. She liked to think, at least.

'Maybe I could tell them that I have the scroll,' she thought quietly as she traveled behind Sakura a few paces. 'Maybe I could convince them that we should hang back until the fifth day.'

'**You probably should have done that sooner, then.'**

Naruto frowned but nodded. '… Yeah, I know. As it stands, I should probably wait until the end of the day before bringing it up, otherwise Sasuke and Sakura will probably be really… Angry.'

Kurama snorted. **'They'll be angry either way, but I agree to wait and let them calm down first. As it stands the brats might stab you a few times if you reveal to them that you had a scroll and **_**hid**_** it from them until now.'**

'Wow, thanks for a support,' the blond grumbled silently, crossing her arms.

It was decided. She would have to wait until the end of the day, maybe sooner, before revealing that she had an Earth scroll already. She would then convince them to stay within one of her barriers until the fifth day. Her teammates would probably want to have the barrier set up near the tower to ensure that nothing stood in their way to interfere at the last minute, but that was simple enough to arrange.

But that was when Naruto felt it.

Inwardly, she cursed. She should have known that things _never_ went the way they were supposed to.

"Shit, Sakura, Sasuke! _Move!_" She shouted, already reaching for her chakra reserves.

Thankfully they did, just before a giant snake barreled into the area, leveling several trees along the way.

'Where?' Naruto thought almost frantically, eyes flashing between azure and orange as she searched for the snake Sannin that she knew was there. She _really_ missed her Sage Mode.

A terrified shriek blasted through her ears, and she turned just in time to see Sakura tackled by the snake that _was still there_.

She motioned to go after her, to kill that stupid _nuisance_ of a snake _and save her teammate_—but then _he_ appeared.

'_Great_.'

A pale, grinning face with jet-black hair. The voice was eerie, and slithered past her ears as he spoke. "Hmm… And what do we have here?"

It was one thing to be hypothesizing about the situation, and it was another _entirely_ when actually being thrown _into_ it, with a teammate who wasn't supposed to end up tackled by a snake and another who was a _target_ and who's only form of protection was _her_.

It was a mistake on her part, and she loathed herself for allowing it to happen. _She had been caught off guard_, and all because this time _Sakura_ had been the one to be taken out of the battle. And even though she may have once been able to rectify such a mistake seamlessly (a mistake that she _wouldn't have made to begin with_), she wasn't able to anymore.

It was a fierce and unfortunate reminder that she was still stuck in the weak and inhibited body of a _child_.

A reinforced clone popped into existence beside her and darted off in the direction Sakura and the snake had headed, not waiting for a word. Sakura could heal her minor injuries and take down some low-leveled Genin at this point, but Naruto was _not_ going to risk the pinkette's life.

Naruto looked to Sasuke and clicked her tongue before jumping in front of him, glaring down the disguised Sannin. She had noticed, of course, but hadn't really considered the fact that Orochimaru was already releasing waves upon waves of killing intent—leaving Sasuke more or less incapacitated.

"What do you want?" She snapped, trying and failing to assume a _frightened_ air about her. Instead, she sounded pissed—which wasn't too far off the mark, she realized, as she stared at the snake.

Orochimaru's eyes darted between her and Sasuke, his grin unwavering. "How… Interesting. I believe you know what it is that I have come for, Jinchuuriki."

Naruto's heartbeat slowly calmed as she regained her bearings. Sakura was going to be okay, she had sent a Kage Bunshin to ensure that. Orochimaru was in front of her while Sasuke was behind her, and as long as she kept the Sannin away from her teammate, he shouldn't end up with a curse mark.

It was essential that she remained calm. Because she had two objectives: to get her teammates to the end, _alive_, and to escape Orochimaru, who had to be left alive. As in, _not dead_. Not yet. It was too important for him to be present during the third round, because if he wasn't, reparations with Suna… Naruto didn't want to think of the possibilities that would arise from it, the potential for Gaara to remain a monster, never gaining the recognition he deserved.

Naruto tensed as Orochimaru's stance shifted, and the snake darted forward, arm extended towards her. Ignoring her first instinct to dodge, she ducked and deflected the arm, following the movement with a chakra-powered punch to the midsection. Her attack failed to connect, however, and Orochimaru landed easily a few meters away from her.

A small frown formed as he tilted his head, almost uncharacteristic of the man. "… Interesting," he murmured, a familiar grin growing once more. "You did not dodge."

Naruto didn't answer, instead, settling into a loose but adaptable defensive stance. Loathe as she was to admit, she wouldn't be successful against the snake in a battle of Ninjutsu—not when he still had the five elements seal, and _she_ couldn't use any of her most powerful Ninjutsu. She wouldn't win in purely Taijutsu either, but she would have a better chance at distracting and deflecting until an opening presented itself.

A twist in the air. She sensed it and reacted instinctively, subduing the—the floating sword?—immediately with a chakra-canceling seal slapped onto the blade. She turned back to Orochimaru immediately, but couldn't help the confused glance to the blade as it clattered uselessly to the ground, the imprint of her chakra seal burned into the metal.

"A seal master as well," Orochimaru observed, grin even wider than before.

'**Shit,'** Kurama bit out within Naruto's mind-scape. **'He's **_**curious**_**. You made the insane **_**dissect-now-question-later**_** scientist fucking **_**curious.**_**'**

'_I noticed._' She bit the inside of her cheek, watching Orochimaru with a guarded gaze. She didn't want to reveal too much of her ability, especially not when he was looking at her like an experiment, but she wouldn't be going anywhere while she held back. Because as much as she had battled and fought powerful enemies in the future past, the fact remained that at the moment, Uzumaki Naruto was nothing more than a twelve-year-old Genin who, while powerful, still had the limitations of her physical body. And she _could not_ successfully defeat—subdue, not _kill_—Orochimaru without revealing some secrets.

"Tell me, container of the Kyuubi," Orochimaru spoke, and his voice was surprisingly _normal_. It still sent a cold chill up Naruto's spine. "How do you feel about Konoha? This village?"

She refused to outwardly show her surprise and incredulity. Naruto remained silent, creating two clones to stand by Sasuke as a precaution.

Orochimaru was undeterred. "I know how this village has treated you. Have you ever wondered about the reasons for them treating you as they do?" With a wave of his hand, he casually dispelled Naruto's hastily made seal and Kusanagi hovered, slowly drifting back to it's owner. "It is not merely because you contain the Kyuubi… But because of who your parents were. Surely… You wish to know about your lineage?"

'… He's not seriously trying to conscript me,' Naruto thought with blatant incredulity and horror. '_Tell me _he's not trying to get me to join him.'

'… **I think he is,'** Kurama replied after a moment, sounding almost as baffled as his container.

'But he didn't care _before_!' Naruto nearly cried out, the thought of being an experiment filling her with revulsion. 'He never cared about your power or my own, because none of it was—it wasn't _talent_ or a bloodline.'

She felt Kurama shrug—but the motion was noticeably less certain and arrogant than usual.

"I can provide you with power," Orochimaru continued, golden eyes attempting to read Naruto's blank face. "I can provide you with power, knowledge, everything this village has failed to."

And he charged.

_That_ must have been his aim, Naruto realized a smidgeon too late, as she leapt to the side to avoid the blow. Her eyes widened and she leapt back towards her frozen teammate when she realized that, yes, he was _still_ after Sasuke and it had all been a _diversion and she messed up_—

Something _slammed_ into her and she felt a pain on her neck, _searing_ the skin and flooding her body in _pain, fire_, she felt like she was _burning_.

Kurama yelled from within her mind-scape and her eyes snapped open before she slammed a half-formed Rasengan into the sannin's side, watching with vindictive satisfaction as his body twisted and contorted as it was hurled yards away.

The brief victory faded as the _pain_ pulsed through her again, and she slapped a hand over the her neck and soothed the area with her chakra. Kurama's angered snarls reverberated within her mindscape, somehow calming her and preventing any hysterics on her side—the fucking snake had placed a _cursed seal_ on _her_. She couldn't remove it in the midst of battle, but a suppressing seal would be enough.

Naruto knelt where she was, grimacing at the strange chakra attempting to invade her coils and mind. Her vision blurred, her muscles ached, and she was _actually being beaten by the stupid hickey._ '_Damn_,' she thought in aggravation, 'this body is freaking _weak_.'

"I can see it," Orochimaru's voice reached her ears, and she forced herself to look up. "A… _Strange_ glimmer in your eyes, one that I had once seen in the Yondaime. And as loathsome a man he was, he was still one in possession of a brilliant mind. I can see that in you. Your mother's blood, as well… Resilience, fire, strength. The makings of a sturdy vessel."

She felt more than heard Sasuke shift behind her.

"And yet, you seem to have something more… Something that cannot be explained," Orochimaru continued, and she just _knew_ the snake was smiling. "Something powerful, something… _Immortal_. Tell me, what secrets do you hold, child?"

"What did you do to her!?" Suddenly, Naruto felt a draft, and her eyes focused on a blur of blue and white that passed her. She reached out too late.

With the ease of swatting a fly, Orochimaru sent Sasuke hurtling into a tree—and then another—before he came to a stop against the third, falling down to the ground with a boneless 'thud.' There was little doubt he was unconscious and with several broken bones.

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed, drawing herself up. She was still incredibly stiff and pained, but her counter seal was working—she felt like herself again.

'I'm… Gonna need your help, Kura.'

She felt the fox nod wordlessly.

"I, unfortunately, cannot bring you with me now because of your status as Konoha's Jinchuuriki. Perhaps you could be persuaded to join of your own volition." The snake Sannin turned to the unconscious Uchiha with a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Now for _Sasuke-kun._"

Naruto reached for her Hiraishin seal and was in front of the boy in a second, causing Orochimaru to blink.

She glared at the snake, settling back in her earlier stance—but this time, her own chakra flared in conjunction with Kurama's.

"You fucking_ try it, hebi-bastard._"

* * *

Sakura was in a bind.

She had managed to heal herself after that snake rammed her (read: catapulted her halfway across the damn forest), sure. She only had a few broken bones, no big deal. Definitely. She didn't wince in pain while setting them and half-healing them. She hadn't broken down in hysterical, rage and fear-induced tears. (Though it was a near thing, a _damn_ near thing, her inner snarled disgustedly.)

Luckily, the snake had dispelled not soon after it had sent her careening through the forest to some unknown location, _far away_ from her teammates. (Because otherwise they would have found her by now, right?)

_Un_luckily, she had ended up in the (literal) hands of an enemy.

Sakura spat out a wad of blood as she stared at the two Shinobi—Kin and Zaku, she had noted—who stared at her with victorious sneers. Their leader, the creep in bandages with long-sleeves stood off to the side, giving off an air of vague amusement.

She hated it.

They were _underestimating _her. And as much as she knew that, logically, that was a _good_ thing, it still grated on her nerves.

And her team _still_ didn't have an Earth Scroll.

It just wasn't her day.

"Why are you here?" She blurted out, eyeing the three. They had gotten a few hits in, but Sakura had still managed to dodge most of the attacks. By their smirks, that still counted as a win to them. "I don't have a scroll."

Zaku and Kin didn't respond, they only exchanged a glance with Dosu, who nodded. Sakura heard the strange chimes of bells.

And then she collapsed on the ground, her legs strangely numb.

She looked down, muttering a quiet string of swears that she would later blush at when she saw the senbon needles buried in her shins and knees. She noted that, strangely, some of them had bells attached to them.

With a grimace, Sakura ripped each out one by one, ignoring the _red_ staining each one. She surreptitiously allowed healing chakra to flood the area, a small unseen amount, and feeling slowly returned to her legs.

'I have to get away,' she thought quietly, watching the strange nin. They allowed her to remove the senbon and weren't making any move to attack again, so they clearly couldn't tell that she was healing herself.

"What is that symbol?" She questioned, eyes affixed pointedly at Kin's headband. "I've never heard of a village with a music note symbol."

Kin sneered, looking down her nose at the pinkette. "Otogakure."

Sakura bowed her head as though timid, but her eyes glinted with determination. She strained her ears and her eyes darted to the sides, looking for the most open area. Dosu stood off to the right slightly, so her best bet was to try the left.

Chakra flooded her legs and she shoved off of the ground, barreling towards the shrubbery with adrenaline in her veins. She had to get away, she _had_ to get back to her teammates, _she had to get away_—

She was sudden blown off of her feet when _something_ slammed into her side, causing her to forward momentum to cease immediately. She collapsed on the ground, cradling her new injury as she looked up at the approaching Zaku.

"Stupid _bitch_," he sneered, grabbing her by her hair and pulling her back to the center of the clearing. "She healed herself, Kin. Usual method ain't gonna work."

"Hmph," Kin crossed her arms, turning away. "So what? We're accomplishing the objective by keeping her here."

Sakura's head snapped towards Kin. 'What?'

An objective? Clearly they weren't supposed to kill her—at least, it wasn't what their _objective_ was—but what did Kin mean by _keeping her here_? Her thoughts swam and she immediately thought about Sasuke and Naruto.

Dosu turned to Kin with a stern gaze. "_Kin_."

The girl flinched, before mumbling a few intelligible words. She withdrew her senbon and Sakura noted once again that, yes, some did have bells.

"What do you mean by objective?" Sakura questioned, not keen on being riddled with even more senbon. "Who are you? What happened to my teammates—"

She was abruptly silenced when a blast of something (not air, _sound_ and _pressure_, she noted) flew past her head and impacted the ground. The blood drained from her face when she saw the result; the miniature crater.

"See that?" Zaku said snidely, leaning down to Sakura's ear. "_That_ will happen to you if you don't _shut up_."

Sakura shut up. But not just because of the threat.

_Sound_, she realized. Of course. The team seemed to specialize with it. Kin with her _bells_ (no doubt used to serve as a distraction; probably to trick the enemy's ears) and Zaku with that… That pure _force_. But how?

Sakura turned to Zaku, shaking slightly as she forced her chakra to stabilize. It was worth a try. "How did you…?"

Zaku peered down at her after glancing to Kin. He stared at her, seemingly looking for something—and then leaned back, splaying his hand that wasn't gripping her hair. Sakura's eyes immediately zeroed in on the strange, circular shape at the center of his palm.

"Body modifications," Zaku replied simply. "Tubes in my arms. I can alter the air pressure and sound waves however I want, getting different results, like attacking or defending." He grinned menacingly. "Makes it easy to blast holes through rocks… And people."

"Zaku," Dosu intoned, seemingly aggravated.

The boy shrugged. "What? Pinky's a _medic_. She can't do _shit _like this, and knowing ain't gonna help her. We just gotta wait it out."

Dosu looked unimpressed. "Glasses," he deadpanned.

To Sakura's confusion, this caused Zaku to stiffen for a moment, before he sighed with a shiver. "Four-eyes doesn't count. He's… Different."

As they continued to talk, Sakura's mind processed what she knew. The "tubes" in Zaku's arms… they seemed to be about the same size as the bells on Kin's senbon. From what she could tell, there didn't _appear_ to be any other outlets for the sound and pressure. So what would happen if the openings were clogged?

What would happen if they were clogged, and he attempted to force pressure through them?

Sakura winced at the imagery that her mind provided, but she had to try it. At the very least, it should cause _some_ backlash, enough to temporarily distract Zaku so that she could try to incapacitate Kin, the weaker one. Her chances of escaping should be improved greatly afterwards—if she tried to boost her speed with chakra, she _should_ be able to outmaneuver Dosu, despite the fact that she didn't know his capabilities. Heck, even if her plan didn't go exactly as she hoped, the two would still be delayed, busy with trying to dodge or cancel out the other's attack.

But she had to actually get Kin to _attack_ her, not just try to incapacitate her.

Sakura closed her eyes, a faint red dusting her cheeks. She had to do it—it wasn't as if it was particularly _bad_, and it wasn't as if she was as "sweet and kind" as she sometimes liked to act (her inner was enough evidence of that), it was just that she hadn't ever really _shown_ that side of herself to anyone.

"You hairstyle looks f-fucking _stupid_!" She shouted at Kin, trying to channel Naruto (and allowing her inner to take hold, slightly).

The addressed girl whirled around to her, stunned and incredulous, before an angry snarl worked it's way upon her face. "What… What the _fuck_ did you say to me!?"

"I said that you look like a hooker!" Sakura fought down the indignant blush that threatened to color her face to match her hair.

Kin growled, and only the restraining hand from Dosu kept her from charging and ripping Sakura a new one. "You stupid little _shit!_ Your hair isn't much better, it's all _pink_ and—and—and _ugly_!"

Sakura ignored the slight anger that flared up at the words. _Not now_, _she_ had to be the one to rile up Kin—not the other way around. "At least I don't look as drab as you do! Do you even _know_ fashion, you—you dumpster-diver! Your outfit makes you look _fat_ and it looks like you got it out of a _trashcan!_"

"Why you fuckin' brat! You're just jealous that I actually have a _rack_—"

"That you use like a dumb hooker, you _ugly whore_!"

(Sakura would deny it to her dying day that she _preened_ at the clear indignation and offense on the brunette's face.)

That was it. Kin snapped, slapping Dosu's hand away and pulled out her senbon before throwing it at Sakura in a blind rage.

Sakura's hand darted to her kunai pouch, and without a second thought, she sliced upwards parallel to her neck. She felt her hair fall in long strands (not allowing her traitorous mind to mourn for the loss) some still gripped by Zaku, and darted out of the way of the on-coming senbon.

She glanced to the boy who, as she had predicted, held his hands up to try and block the senbon with sound-waves. His right hand remained unscathed, but his left was not so lucky—one of her bell-senbon lodged itself in his arm, and the sound of a wet "pop" echoed in the clearing.

Zaku stared at the visceral wound on the side of his arm for a few uncomprehending moments before letting out a scream, collapsing to the ground as his right arm held his elbow.

Sakura hadn't truly accounted for how _slim_ the chances of a bell getting lodged in his weird tubes were until then, but she knew that she was _extremely_ lucky that one had. She immediately retrained her focus on Kin, who met her eyes with fury.

"You…" Kin growled, fists at the ready. "You ugly _bitch_—"

Sakura received a painfully sharp hook to the stomach, but not before she managed to punch the brunette across the jaw. She winced at the distinct _crack_ that reverberated through her ears and watched as the girl went flying before collapsing in an unconscious heap. Sakura hadn't used a large supply of chakra for that and had only _slightly_ augmented her strength because, one, she didn't need to use too much when punching a _person_, and two, she still didn't have a handle on the technique. Naruto had warned her that if she wasn't careful, the consequences could be dire… And painful.

Sparing only a brief second to reorient herself, Sakura spun on her heel and darted towards the trees in a _second_ attempt.

She just managed to brush her fingers against the leaves when something, with even _greater_ force and damage than before slammed into her entire body, and she was sent spiraling into the tree before falling to the ground with a painful 'thud.' She was certain that she had just dislocated her shoulder, if the pain shooting up her neck and down her arm was any indication.

Her ears were ringing, her eyes couldn't focus and were quickly _dimming_, and panic rose to new heights as she watched Dosu and Zaku approach—the latter snarling inaudible obscenities as he waved his destroyed arm in her face.

Sakura was losing her awareness, and she was faint. She had used to much chakra carelessly, she couldn't heal her eardrums and what was probably several broken ribs and she was _doomed_.

Just as darkness blanketed her vision, she saw a flash of gold, orange, and glowing blue.

And then she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Mandara no Jin!"

Thousands of snakes darted at Naruto and she swore, leaping back and forth while slicing the serpents with a kunai. Her clones had moved Sasuke from the clearing and sat in the trees with the unconscious boy, but didn't dare leave the area. They had already tried, and Orochimaru had gotten _far too close_ to Sasuke for her liking.

Orochimaru's hands flipped through seals before settling on snake. "Fuuton: Daitoppa!"

'Kurama.' Naruto held the Tiger seal as she felt her tenant's chakra flood her coils. "Katon: Karyuu Endan!"

Her attack easily over-powered Orochimaru's despite the elemental disadvantage, and the area was enshrouded in a firestorm that wiped out the remaining snakes. She sent a mental thanks to the fox for the extra push.

Azure eyes flickered across the scorched area as the fires died down. No sign of Orochimaru—she could feel his presence nearby without a doubt, but couldn't pinpoint his exact location. She had to grudgingly admit that he wasn't part of the Densetsu no Sannin for no reason.

Naruto jumped back as she allowed a glance to her clones and Sasuke, her brow furrowed in consternation.

As it stood, they couldn't remain in the forest like she had first planned. Of course, it wasn't necessary anymore anyway—_that_ had been to avoid encountering Orochimaru to begin with. As Orochimaru revealed himself once again—somewhat singed, but otherwise unharmed—she snorted. 'A lot of good _that_ did.'

Last time, Orochimaru's attempts had stopped with the forest of death, but Naruto knew that she couldn't depend on what happened _last time _in this case. He hadn't come back after Sasuke because he had successfully managed to mark him, and Naruto wasn't going to allow that to happen again.

(Naruto winced when her _own_ curse mark throbbed. She still couldn't believe that she had been bitten.)

Ultimately, she had no choice. She had to bring her teammates back to the tower so that they could rest and so that she could erect a barrier seal. _Now_ she could take those precautions, because she had a literal imprint of Orochimaru's chakra to lock out of the seal. It would make it a little difficult for her considering the fact that the imprint was attached to her at the moment, but… She could make do until she removed the stupid thing.

She just had to stall until her clone either dispelled or came back with Sakura.

"Impressive," Orochimaru drawled, patting his burnt sleeves. Despite the curious glint in his eyes, the corners of his mouth were turned down in a minute frown. "Who exactly taught you Nature Transformation, child?"

So it was back to conversing. As far as Naruto was concerned, she could do either—but she wouldn't relax her guard. Not until she and her team were at the tower, behind one of her barriers. Not until they were safe_._

"You wouldn't believe me if I said I learned by myself, would you?"

The frown deepened, and his chakra pooled at his arms.

'So he won't,' Naruto concluded quietly. 'Funny, because I'm not actually lying about that.'

"Sen'eijashu."

Naruto clicked her tongue as she ducked under a bundle of hissing snakes that shot overhead, flipping a kunai around her finger before slicing the weapon clock-wise through them with honed wind chakra. The beheaded snakes dispelled once destroyed and Naruto twisted to evade Orochimaru, whose arm extended towards her midsection. His fingertips were alight with haunting, violet light.

"_I don't think so_," Naruto sneered, plunging her kunai into the offending appendage with lightning-quick speed and strength. She yanked the weapon towards her after it pierced the arm through, causing the bone and muscle to tear.

Orochimaru smiled menacingly as he jumped back, his true feelings on the matter betrayed by the sheen of sweat on his pale face and quiet hiss of pain. He held his now-tattered left arm with his right, the arm dangling uselessly by sinewy muscle and torn skin.

And then, his jaw unhinged. His beaten body slid down like the shedding of a snake, revealing the

Naruto stared in silence, observing the familiar technique that she had seen in the past. Orochimaru held her gaze, a victorious glint in his eyes as he watched her eyes dart to his now-healed left arm.

"I can regenerate as many times as needed," Orochimaru spoke flippantly, a menacing grin in place. He apparently took her silence for morbid shock. "Do you still wish to continue this farce, child?"

Naruto narrowed her eyes. That was a _lie_, she knew that the technique he had just pulled used over half of his reserves. She hadn't planned it, but if she so decided, she could actually kill Orochimaru right then and there if she thought it prudent. His attempt at intimidation was a failure, and she knew very well how slim the snake Sannin's chances were at succeeding, possibly more than he himself realized.

The hand gripping her kunai tightened, and she considered the idea briefly before shoving it away with vehemence. '_No_,' she thought quietly. 'He still has his uses in the future.'

"Boss!" A familiar voice called out, and Naruto's shoulders sagged as tension left her. Orochimaru's eyes darted to the side where her clone burst out of the brush, an unconscious Sakura held limply in her arms.

Naruto grinned as her clones converged. Sakura and Sasuke were conveniently in reach, now.

"Sorry, Orochimaru," Naruto stated with false sincerity, smiling at the snake. "You're right, I _don't _want to continue this 'farce.'" She shunshin'd over to her two teammates, behind her three clones that stood menacingly between Team Seven and the snake Sannin.

Orochimaru must have detected that something was wrong—despite the fact that he had seemed to have confidence that she was nothing more than a minor threat at most, he seemed to have noticed that he had lost favor of the situation—for he darted out towards them with a renewed vigor and speed that made his previous efforts pale in comparison.

Naruto's eyes widened for only a fraction of a second, before she grabbed Sakura and Sasuke's arms and _reached_.

The ghosting sensation of something _stabbing through her _made her steps falter as she landed in the new location, just barely catching her two unconscious teammates before they met the unforgiving ground.

She shook her head vigorously and darted forward, already seeing the entrance of the tower. As she came upon the puzzle, she dropped her teammates—she tried to be gentle, but her hands were shaking—before fumbling in her pouch for the scrolls she knew were there. She threw them open onto the ground and clutched at her stomach.

Smoke filled her vision, and she just caught a glimpse of Iruka—his face held an amalgamation of expressions; going from confused, to surprised, to horror-struck—before the world tilted in front of her eyes.

She collapsed into something thankfully warm and laughed weakly, inwardly shooting Kurama a victorious smile coupled with a "peace" sign. The adrenaline from earlier finally faded, and she knew that she could relax for at least a small while.

Team Seven made it. Worse for the wear, but they _made it_, and Sasuke didn't have a curse mark to show for it.

As darkness closed around her, she failed to detect the light tears of relief that brimmed beneath her eyelids.

* * *

He jolted awake with a strangled gasp, air flooding his lungs.

The suddenness of the action made him clutch his sides with a hiss as pain registered and lanced up his stomach and back, and he curled over as he attempted to regain his breaths.

'… What…' Sasuke thought, his eyes screwed shut, his mind racing. 'What happened?'

He… He recalled that man (_Orochimaru_, he corrected quietly) and the oppressive, paralyzing sensation that had flooded the area at his behest. It had filled Sasuke's lungs, weighed heavily on his shoulders; the sensation was so thick and _evil _Sasuke had felt like he was drowning in tar and he couldn't breath or move or _so much as speak_—

He shook his head to dispel the returning feeling, inhaling deep breaths to calm his heart rate.

'But before that,' Sasuke thought forcefully, his eyes darting around and registering his surroundings for the first time.

He remembered that he and his teammates had been walking through the forest. They were… They were planning to search for their scroll's counterpart. And then—And then _Sakura_ was hit by a _giant snake_.

Sasuke was in a hospital. His eyes fell on a prone form on the opposite side of his room, and breathed a quiet sigh of relief as he calmed down. He would recognize that shade of pink anywhere (even if her hair looked curiously shorter than he recalled it being) and even if the fact that she was in the _hospital_ with him wasn't the best thought, at least she was still… Alive.

He could admit that he felt relieved upon seeing her safe. He wasn't _callous_, and even if his team grated on his nerves at times… He wouldn't wish them _dead_.

At the thought, Sasuke's eyes widened. '_Naruto_.'

He cast another glance around the room, noting that he and Sakura were the only ones there. There was a third bed, but it was unused and held no signs of having another occupant recently.

Sasuke's hands tightened in the sheets pooled around him as memories were brought up to the forefront of his mind.

He… He had been _useless_.

While Orochimaru (_how had Naruto known his name? How?_) laughed at them, and Naruto defended _him_… He had done _nothing_, because he had been too busy _cowering in fear._

Somewhere during the exchanges between his teammate and the snake, Sasuke had begun regaining his sense of self. The first thing he had felt was anger, _rage_, precisely _because_ Naruto was protecting him—the fact that she even felt that it was _necessary_ to defend him hurt and left a bitter taste—and because he had been frozen, paralyzed with fear and couldn't do more than simply watch his teammate fight for him. But then… He had seen, with absolute horror, as Orochimaru's teeth sunk into her neck. His focus had still been on Naruto, and he had watched the widening of azure eyes, betraying her shock.

Naruto had quickly jumped back almost as soon as Orochimaru made contact, but cried out in pain immediately after.

And rage.

_Rage_, Sasuke had felt utter rage then, when he saw some strange inscription form on her neck. What the _hell_ had the snake done to his _teammate_?

From there, his memories were even more blurred than the rest. He could recall charging at Orochimaru, tunnel-vision making him blind to everything but his goal to _tear into_ the creep. Something had swiped across at him, and his vision blurred as he was sent careening away… And then darkness.

He had fainted.

Sasuke's fists tightened painfully.

He was _weak_.

Face set somewhere between a grimace and a snarl, Sasuke kicked his legs over the side of his bed. He stood up on shaky limbs (cringing when a sharp pain jolted through him at the action) and walked—hobbled, more like, but he refused to acknowledge it—over to the door, fully intent on _leaving_. To do what, he didn't know, but he didn't want to be left subject to his thoughts.

It never ended well when he was left to his thoughts.

Just as he reached for the handle of the door, it slid open sharply and Sasuke blinked at the person standing before him. He cast a cursory glance over the individual, noting that there didn't seem to be a lasting injury at all.

Azure eyes blinked back, and Sasuke had to keep from flinching when a hand fell on his shoulder.

"You shouldn't be up yet!" Naruto scolded none too gently, slowly herding Sasuke back over to his bed. Surprisingly (to him as well) he didn't fight back.

As he sat back down on the bed he had only recently vacated, he narrowed his eyes at the sunny blond.

Naruto didn't seem to notice, and lifted up a basket of fruit that he hadn't noticed earlier, a wide grin on her face. "Fruit for Sakura and Sasuke-hime," she teased, making the Uchiha's glare darken. "'Cause that was the second time I've had to save your ass. Maybe if you eat more, you won't be such a twig."

Sasuke ignored her for the most part, eyes trailing halfheartedly after the blond as she gingerly placed the fruit on the table. He noted that there really appeared to be little to no injury on his teammate's person, and he quietly wondered exactly how she managed to get out of the ordeal without so much as a scratch.

However, as she turned back around to him, her collar flapped to the side, and he caught a glimpse of three dark tomoe.

In the exact place where Orochimaru had bitten her.

"… What did he do to you?"

Naruto paused, blinked. She stared at him with a furrowed brow, walking over slightly. "… What was that?"

When she got close enough, Sasuke's hand darted out and yanked her collar, pulling her closer. His gaze remained pointedly on the now fully-revealed insignia, before turning to her. "Orochimaru."

The blond's eyes widened before she yanked away, a hand darting up to rub at the mark. "I forgot about that," she mumbled, before wincing. She sat down and pulled out a brush and inkwell from her pouch, dipping the former into the dark ink. She stared at her hands—her right holding her brush, her left splayed openly, and sighed. After switching hands, she began painting on her right hand, and despite himself Sasuke peered over with thinly veiled curiosity.

Fuuinjutsu. He knew that Naruto had apparently learned it—was at a relatively high level—since she had told them as much, but simply being told and watching her work were two separate things entirely.

His eyes widened at the complex, intricate, yet compact and _downright small_ seal that sat comfortably on the surface of her palm. He heard Naruto swear a few times when he noticed a stroke or two look slightly off—she wasn't left-handed after all—but eventually, the seal reached completion.

Naruto bit into her left thumb and ran it up from her wrist to the junction of her middle finger, a trail of blood left in it's wake. She gingerly placed her hand over the cursed seal, and a sharp burst of chakra pulsed outward.

"Fuuin: Unseal."

Another pulse of chakra, and the skin beneath her hand seemed to glow. Naruto winced, and Sasuke could smell burning ink, blood and flesh.

After a few moments, the light dimmed, eventually retreating, and Naruto peeled away her hand with a grimace. The skin around the site looked raw and blistered, and her hand had come away with smudges of black, but the tomoe seal was nowhere in sight.

"Ugh, that was messy. I need to practice with my left hand," Naruto mumbled, rolling her shoulder tentatively.

Sasuke stared. "… How did you do that?"

As though only realizing then that she wasn't alone, Naruto blinked before smiling. She threw her arms up in mock cheer. "The wonders of Fuuinjutsu! It's a rather versatile and useful art. It's what I did in the forest, too, when I was setting up a perimeter."

Sasuke blinked at her words, before a scowl slowly formed. "A barrier seal. That's why we didn't see any other teams. Why would you do that? Weren't we waiting for another team to pass through?" He paused as a thought occurred to him, and his eyes narrowed. "… And how did we pass?"

It wasn't really a question. He felt that, considering the recent developments, he already had a pretty good idea of the answer to his own question.

Naruto rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "Aa… Well, you see, I actually… I actually already obtained a scroll." Sasuke bristled at the information, but before he could lash out or speak, Naruto continued. "It was my original plan. I just went with what I had already intended on doing, I just… Didn't tell you guys about it. About the switch of plans."

Sasuke stared at her. "… Why didn't you tell us?" At her look, he clarified, "Why are you only telling me _now_, when you could have told us on the second or third day?"

He considered telling the blond that they were supposed to work as a team, but even _he_ realized just how much of a hypocrite such a retort would make him. While he _did_ know that the purpose of the second Chuunin Exam was teamwork… Before the exam, what sort of teamwork had he exhibited? What kind of person had he been?

He was a loner. He didn't need _anyone_. Everyone else just _dragged him down_. Those were the kinds of thoughts that were most prevalent in his mind back then, and while he still believed them to an extent, he wasn't nearly as close-minded.

Naruto had already called him out for being stubborn and ignorant. He didn't care to be called a hypocrite on top of that.

At his question, Naruto's demeanor cooled, her gaze serious. Sasuke, admittedly, felt a strange hesitance grip him at the change. "I had suspected that Orochimaru was a threat in the exams. I knew that Yakushi Kabuto has dealings with him, and I had been worried that Orochimaru himself would show himself here." She sighed quietly, glancing to the side. "… I knew that you would be the target, since Orochimaru has a… Fixation, with the Sharingan. I wanted to make sure that he _wouldn't_ be able to obtain your eyes. Obtain you."

She sat down on the side of his bed, pulling at her growing bangs. "The curse mark—what you saw Orochimaru put on me, when he bit my shoulder—I knew about how it worked, and I also knew that he intended on marking you. It's called the Ten no Juin, and it… It plays with a person's desire, messes with the mind, making them susceptible to Orochimaru's manipulations. I knew that, if you gained the mark, you would have been driven into mindless anger and hatred due to your… Your vendetta against Itachi."

Sasuke tensed at the name, his nails biting painfully into his palms.

"That's what Orochimaru was counting on. Hatred is one of the easier emotions to influence, because of how deep it reaches into the mind and how is often leads to obsession. I had to do everything to keep you away from Orochimaru," she finished quietly.

"But you could have warned us, at least," Sasuke bit out in a quiet murmur.

Naruto turned to him at the sharpness of his tone, before a wry smile spread across her lips. "Oh? And then what? You would've gone after him yourself? You and I both know that you wouldn't have turned down the challenge, even though I _told_ you guys not to do anything rash. And both of us know how well _your_ confrontation with him went."

This time Sasuke flinched, turning a powerful glare on her. "And what you did _wasn't_ reckless? How do you even know so much?"

Naruto took off her hitai-ate and carded a hand through her hair, sighing. "I keep my eyes and ears open, Sasuke. If it means protecting my teammates, I will do anything."

"But it was reckless."

She turned back to him with a strained smirk. "It actually wasn't. What _was_ reckless of me was allowing you and Sakura to go against my initial plan."

"Would you have let us leave after you got the scroll?" Sasuke questioned, feeling as though he was getting nowhere. His footing was anything but firm, and he wasn't getting the answers he expected—wanted—from Naruto. It left him uneasy, how easily she could pick him apart—and how _one sided _it was.

Naruto seemed to contemplate the question for a moment, before shaking her head.

"Why?"

"Because I knew that Orochimaru was after you, or at least, highly suspected it. Absolutely _no one_ of rank is to interfere with these exams, meaning we wouldn't have gotten back up soon enough, and my best bet was to keep you two within my barrier. If I brought you to the tower near the beginning of the exam when there is minimal staff, Orochimaru would have incurred a massacre. I also couldn't use my barrier here without garnering undue attention, at that point."

Sasuke observed his teammate with a measuring look. "… You have a lot of secrets. Does anyone know that you knew Orochimaru was going to attack? That you can use Fuuinjutsu at a high level?"

To his surprise, Naruto nodded. "… Yes. The Sandaime."

Sasuke, shocked into brief silence, stared at the blond. "… And he _let this happen_?"

Perhaps hearing the undertones of disbelief and betrayal, Naruto quickly replied. "He gave me the right to protect my teammates. The reason why I needed to do this covertly was so that we could catch Orochimaru in the act of his manipulations, because we suspect that he got into Konoha through another means aside from as a Genin participating."

"Again, how do you know so much? _Why_ do you know so much?" Sasuke interrogated, hand gripping Naruto's arm painfully. "You're just a Genin!"

Naruto glanced at him, and for a moment, Sasuke saw emotions that he had never seen so raw within her eyes before—sorrow, pain, absolute _pain_ and regret and _loss_—before it flickered away, replaced with her usual look.

"… Two things," she started, holding up two fingers. "One, Fuuko. Two, I'm the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki."

Sasuke sent her a look that fully conveyed, '_explain._'

"Fuuko is…" Naruto's mouth twisted as she contemplated. "… Let's just say that within the political realm she is highly acquainted—however unknown—and what she knows, I know. I am the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, a constant stigma for unrest, and I am almost always at the center of conflict, whether in the realm of politics due to my status or on the battlefield due to my power. So I have a constant level of awareness."

Silence fell around them as Naruto's head bowed, her bangs shadowing her eyes and expression.

"I… I shouldn't be here. What I know… I really shouldn't know, and sometimes I wish I _didn't_ know, because it means keeping secrets from the people closest to me—some that pertain to them, and that they should by _all accounts_ be informed of. Because it's only right." A pause. And then she murmured, near-intelligible. "… But sometimes, the right thing isn't always an option."

Sasuke reeled back slightly when she snapped back to him, eyes and demeanor back to smiling—a quick change—as she stood up. "Anyway, I'm glad you're awake. I guess Sakura isn't going to wake up yet, but I'm sure she will soon. Tomorrow is the end of the second round, I'll be nearby if you need me." She tapped her chin and donned a contemplative expression. "Let's see… I renewed the seals on you and Sakura earlier, so just channel chakra into your palms and I'll be here. Be sure to get your rest, eat your vegetables, and do your stretches to limber up."

She then gave Sasuke a two-finger wave as she took a few steps away from the bed, grin still plastered on her face. "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you two later. Bye!"

And then she disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

Sasuke merely sighed as he settled himself back into bed, not quite able to bring himself to begrudge Naruto for her sudden exit. His mind was reeling with everything he had been told—and despite how candid she had seemed at certain points throughout their conversation, he knew he had his work cut out for him to figure out the underlying clues that had been left behind. To figure out the mystery that was his teammate, Uzumaki Naruto.

With another, distinctly more frustrated sigh, Sasuke placed his arm over his eyes.

Why couldn't things be as easy as it was before? When all he had to do was focus on hating, _killing_ Itachi, and whether or not he ignored everyone else mattered little?

All he knew for certain, at this point, was that Naruto seemed hell-bent to _prevent_ him from going down that path. Before, he would have lashed out at her barging in on his life and vendetta, because _she didn't matter _and _it isn't any of her business_.

But now… Now he couldn't bring himself to begrudge her for it. He couldn't find it within himself to reject his teammates.

He couldn't find the strength to hate them. To hate the village. To hate the world. To _hate_.

… And that knowledge left him feeling disturbingly lost.

* * *

Sakura had regained consciousness the next day, but both she and Sasuke remained in their beds, hoping to speed up their recovery. On the evening of the fourth day Sakura utilized her iryo-ninjutsu to heal her more severe injuries to a decent state, and Sasuke was cleared. Naruto had informed them about the likelihood of there being a preliminary round with the number of finalists, so the two of them had decided to take the chance to prepare.

(In Sakura's case, Naruto hadn't told her until _after_ she heard the full story of _how_ the pinkette gained her injuries to begin with. She was livid by the end of the explanation, naturally, but had withheld her anger at the sight of Sakura's wary gaze. She had instead opted to hug the kunoichi and tell her how "awesome" she was for being able to hold her own against three shinobi at once. Sakura had blushed, just managing to stutter out a,_ "w-well, I can't always rely on you and Sasuke-kun!"_ before ushering the blond out of the room.)

And the following day, after the final cut-off for the time limit, found the Genin of Team Seven standing uniformly in the stadium as they listened to the Hokage's speech, signaling the end of the Second Exam.

As Naruto looked around, she noted the teams that had managed to pass. Team Kakashi, Team Asuma, Team Kurenai, Team Guy, Team Baki, and Team Kabuto were the only ones to make it to this round. During the time that her teammates had been unconscious, she had gone back out to ensure that the Konoha teams made it to the Preliminaries—she had gathered scrolls and _conveniently_ left the matching pairs for Team Kurenai and Asuma. The former's was at the cost of Team Dosu, but… Well, she had already planned on making sure they didn't make it, after what they had done to her teammate.

"The first match will commence," Gekkou Hayate announced with a cough. He gestured to the board behind him, listing two names. "All except the competitors, please leave the arena."

"Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akado Yoroi" was listed, much like last time.

Everyone except the two competitors went to the staircases along the edges of the room, and a tense silence commenced as Sasuke and Yoroi regarded each other with narrowed gazes.

Hayate coughed into a fist, his voice raw. "Alright. No aiming to kill, only to defeat. The winner gets to proceed onto the finals." He lifted his hand. "Now then… Start!"

The two shinobi leapt at each other, Yoroi's arm extending towards Sasuke's head. Sasuke quickly ducked and aimed a punch at his opponent's stomach, which was quickly deflected to the side. He used the motion to clap his hand to the ground and swung around with a kick towards the side of Yoroi's head.

The kick was halted when a hand clamped around his ankle and the other gripped at Sasuke's head, slamming the boy to the ground.

The words spoken by the older shinobi were whispered and therefore inaudible to the audience, but Sasuke's eyes grew wide as a blue glow rose from the points Yoroi gripped him, and Naruto could see her teammate's chakra being leeched away.

Sasuke growled lowly, but instead of retaliating physically, he remained still. The change seemed to puzzle Yoroi, but Naruto felt the shift of chakra—the same that usually occurred preceding a Katon jutsu—and Yoroi suddenly ripped his hands away from the Uchiha, holding his hands in front of him with bewilderment and anger.

(Naruto was silently proud of her teammate. She hadn't known that Sasuke held that level of mastery over his nature transformation to accomplish such a feat, at this point in time—she had been curious about what he would do to combat the chakra leech without the curse mark, but this wasn't expected.)

Sasuke didn't allow him to recover. He leapt at Yoroi and kicked his legs out from under him, following up with a succession of attacks that the man couldn't keep up with.

The match concluded as it had before, with Sasuke using the newly-created Shishi Rendan to incapacitate his opponent, and he was announced the victor. He had sustained no injury, only minor chakra depletion, and there was no cursed mark to hinder him. He was therefore ushered back up to the viewing deck instead of the infirmary, unlike Yoroi.

Up next was Tsurugi Misumi vs. Akimichi Chouji. Naruto watched with a slight grimace as Chouji was soundly beaten and forced to forfeit when Misumi held him in a chokehold, suffocating the boy. Chouji, in a valiant effort attempted to break free by activating his Baika no Jutsu, but Misumi's grip only tightened as a result.

(In a distant future that Naruto can't quite remember, Chouji's Baika no Jutsu would have easily defeated Misumi's Nan no Kaizou. But unfortunately, that was not the case in this instance.)

Following Chouji's match was Hinata's and Neji's. The match proceeded exactly as it had last time, with Neji near killing his own cousin in a fit of self-justified anger and spite. Naruto shouted, cheering on the younger Hyuuga as she had last time, but towards the end she looked away with her fists clenched. She had been more than ready to jump down and give Neji a piece of her mind and exactly what she thought of his hatred, but she knew that Hinata would live and this event would only serve to help strengthen their relationship in the future.

(It still hurt to see Hinata being carried away on a stretcher, just barely breathing.)

Gaara and Lee's match was… Strange, to say the least. The match had gone almost parallel to as it had been before (much like Hinata's) but like Sasuke's, there was a small difference that Naruto attributed to her own interference.

Particularly, Gaara did not try to kill Lee.

Naruto didn't notice it at first, as Gaara was relentless with his attacks and Lee reciprocated with his own fervor, steadily raising the tension as the blows exchanged grew increasingly vicious. The match was almost exactly the same, and the moment Gaara's sand lashed out and send Lee hurtling towards the wall, Naruto had been prepared to jump in and save Lee from an injury that could potentially ruin his future this time around.

But before the green-clad Shinobi could make contact, before any of the sensei could interfere, Gaara's sand shot out in a seemingly threatening motion. And _cushioned _the impact.

Naruto had been hard-pressed to not outright gape at the show of mercy, even as Lee blatantly stared at the Sand Genin before shouting about how youthful it was to save him from the impact and how he was even more excited to continue the fight.

And then Gaara sent an icy look at the green-clad Shinobi before telling the proctor to signal the end or he'd kill him.

(Ah. _There_ was the bloodthirsty Gaara Naruto had expected.)

Following the abrupt conclusion to the match (and Lee had looked oddly _wilted _at the prospect of not being able to continue the fight, which was strange but also unsurprising) was Shino against Ino. It was a pitifully _short_ match, with Ino promptly falling in a dead faint when Shino swarmed her with his kikaichu.

Naruto respected the Ino she knew. But to put it simply, the conclusion to _that _match was… Just _sad_.

Next was Sakura's match.

The names "Haruno Sakura" and "Kankuro" stood out a stark white against the black on the board, and Naruto saw Kankuro narrow his eyes at the pinkette before sneering in annoyance. He had dismissed his opponent based on appearance alone.

Sakura apparently noticed the dismissing look, because her shoulders went rigid as she straightened, and a fire lit in her emerald eyes. She walked past her team—only giving a small nod at Naruto's murmur of "good luck"—and walked down the stares with a purpose, leveling a stern glare on the puppeteer when they stood in their respective positions.

No words were exchanged before Hayate walked up, but when he signaled for the match to start, Sakura didn't waste a second.

The look of pure shock that flew across Kankuro's face as he barely managed to dodge the swift kick delivered to his midsection left Naruto smiling on Sakura's behalf. Kankuro hissed a curse as he leapt back, forced into the defend-and-retreat strategy as he tried to dodge Sakura's hits. She wasn't quite fast enough, unfortunately, but she wasn't yet using chakra to enhance her power and agility.

Kankuro flung his puppet at Sakura, which she dodged with ease, only to falter as a volley of kunai was sent her way from the direction of the clothed blur. She vaulted backwards to gain distance as she dodged a barrage of senbon next, her eyes narrowed at the new addition to the battlefield.

Naruto frowned slightly when she saw the few abrasions the pinkette suffered. The slight flicker of chakra notified her that Sakura had noticed the poison properties of the weapons, but she was, regardless, worried.

"This here's Karasu," Kankuro stated with pride, as all eyes stared at the seemingly-floating wooden menace. "My own creation. He's my partner, and we're gonna take you _down_."

His introduction only received a few glances, to Karasu and back.

"Suna-nin are known for chakra threads and manipulation with them," Sakura murmured, the light of her healing chakra increasing momentarily before flickering out entirely. She stood up and dusted herself off, before settling into an offensive stance. "So your technique is mostly centered around control."

Kankuro smirked. "So Pinkie's a little informed. Good for you." He settled into a stance as well, Karasu halting it's erratic movements to prepare for a strike.

Sakura darted out, her hands glowing a faint blue as she headed towards Kankuro, but was impeded by Karasu as the puppet flung itself down towards, her, blades protruding from its body. Sakura cursed as she was forced to retreat once again, her eyes darting between the puppet and master.

"You can't do anything if you can't get close to me," Kankuro taunted, crossing his arms. "You don't know any offensive ninjutsu, do you? No Nature Transformation?"

Sakura scowled. "I don't need it."

Kankuro actually looked baffled. "What do you mean, you don't need—"

He was interrupted as Sakura darted forward again, eyes trained on Kankuro. He laughed, redirecting Karasu to intercept her. "That won't work, Pinkie. You're just going get poisoned and kill yourself."

But she didn't. Sakura darted under the swipe of the puppet, swinging around and using momentum to kick past the puppet. She seemed to have missed, but Karasu abruptly froze and dropped to the ground, unresponsive.

"Wha—"

Sakura spun around, and with a chakra-powered punch, _obliterated_ the wooden construct, before spinning around to glare at a suddenly pale-faced Kankuro. Her still-glowing fist was held in a symbolic form of a promise of utter pain.

Naruto was grinning ear to ear.

"H-how!?" Kankuro spluttered through his disbelief, looking hesitant between forfeiting so he could salvage the remains of his puppet, and pulling out a kunai to try and win despite his chances.

"Your technique is centered around chakra control. In a way, this match was geared against you—because I happen to be this generation's best Shinobi when it comes to chakra control. It was just a matter of disrupting the threads that held your puppet together." Sakura lifted her fist up to eye-level as she stared at the Suna-nin. "Forfeit."

Kankuro forfeited.

The somewhat considering, and simultaneously pained glance he shot the pinkette as he left the arena had Naruto fighting to _not_ burst out in a fit of giggles. Temari had a similar look, but there was ire directed at her brother and a flicker of respect in her eyes for Sakura.

"YEAH!" Naruto shouted with a fist pump, unable to help herself. "Go, Sakura-chan!"

Startled, Sakura turned to Naruto, previous menacing aura gone. A look of pride and happiness crossed her face as she gave a small nod of acknowledgement.

And then she fell in a dead faint.

Naruto winced. 'I guess she used too much chakra,' she thought silently, calculating the exact chakra expenditure. She had also seen how, despite the chakra output being appropriate, Sakura had winced upon using a chakra-powered punch—likely leaving her with an injury in the arm she used to destroy Karasu.

Even though Naruto had given Sakura pointers, it had been up to the girl herself if she wanted to improve. It was with an immense sense of pride that Naruto realized that Sakura had indeed begun taking her training more seriously—if the match against Kankuro was any indication.

(And wasn't it ironic, that she would be pitted against a puppet master and, against all odds, _win, _much like she had in Naruto's future-past?)

With a wistful smile, Naruto shook her head and turned to Sasuke, grin growing at the shell-shocked look on his face. "Sakura's amazing, isn't she? She improved so much!"

Sasuke blinked out of his stupor and turned to Naruto with a measuring look. He then turned back to the arena, where Sakura was being carted away on a stretcher—unconscious, but smiling.

"… Yeah," he acknowledged eventually, inclining his head once in agreement. "She has."

Naruto beamed once more before turning back to the arena as the next opponents were called up.

After the conclusion to Sakura's surprising match, Kiba went up with Temari. The match didn't end quite as quickly as most of the previous ones (all of them fell under three to five minutes excluding Sakura's, Ino's not even making it to thirty seconds) but it was rather lack-lustre.

The entire battle mostly consisted of Kiba trying, and failing, to use Gatsūga, while Temari quite literally bat him to and fro with her Fuuton techniques. Kiba simply could _not_ get close enough to land a hit, and his mid to long-range attacks consisted of kunai and shuriken, which were just as easily deflected. Kiba was swatted back and forth with conjured winds, and Temari even had the gall to yawn as she swung her fan back and forth, increasing the steadily growing stream of insults from the Inuzuka heir.

Lack-lustre, yes. Naruto never said that it was boring.

Eventually Kiba forfeited, because Temari had grown bored with the repetitive battle and finally threatened his future children with a rather sharp blade of wind that just barely missed his legs and lower regions.

Shikamaru and Tenten were next.

Once the match started, in a direct contrast to the previous, neither made a move—only observing each other. At some unseen signal, Tenten withdrew her scroll of weapons as Shikamaru leapt forward, perhaps realizing that, like the previous two matches, they each had their ranged-strengths. In his case, he was the one at a disadvantage the larger the distance between them.

Tenten darted towards him in a risky move, clapped a hand on his shoulder and vaulted off of his back before he could activate his Kagemane no jutsu. She unfurled her scroll mid-air and shouted, "Kaifūjutsu!"

Weapons of various size and purpose rained down on the battlefield, Shikamaru's eyes going wide at the rather large margin for error. With a muttered curse (which, while inaudible, was very likely said in conjunction with "troublesome") Shikamaru worked to dodge the onslaught, coming out in one piece but not unharmed.

As soon as the rain of weapons ceased, Tenten picked up a sickle and chain, aiming it towards Shikamaru as he leapt backwards to avoid the deadly weapon. She release her grip on the handle and allowed it to continue its path as she bent down to pick up a handful of shuriken and kunai, throwing them successively at Shikamaru.

Tenten didn't see it, but Naruto, from her vantage point, did.

The weapon's mistress abruptly stopped her onslaught, the last kunai dangling on her pointer finger as she was suddenly stopped mid-throw. Her eyes darted back and forth in panic before widening at the connected shadow that lead to Shikamaru.

His shadow had branched off despite the distance, and the various shadows caused by the assortment of weapons, both large and small, littered across the field proved to be an apt conduit to extend towards Tenten.

She had doomed herself with her own strategy.

Shikamaru, keeping his hold on the Kagemane, flicked his wrist and formed a fist just to the side of his neck. Tenten followed through with the motion, kunai held tightly in her hand as her own arm shifted to mirror Shikamaru's.

A few moments of silence passed as they stared at one another, before Tenten sighed in both resignation and irritation at her folly. "I forfeit."

The Kagemane cancelled immediately and Shikamaru plopped down to the ground, sighing in exasperation.

"Nara Shikamaru is the winner," Hayate shouted with a cough, looking between the two teens. "Please head back to the viewing platforms so we can proceed with the next match." Tenten complied immediately, jumping up to stand with her team, while Shikamaru just barely managed to drag himself up the stairs with a bored look.

And then, the board flickered again.

"Uzumaki Naruto and Yakushi Kabuto, please proceed to the arena."

Naruto froze, her blood running cold as she processed the words spoken. Her eyes immediately darted over to the familiar visage of the snake's apprentice, who looked every bit the cowardly failure he pretended to be at the moment.

Stiffly, Naruto walked down the stares, not sparing so much as a glance at the "Genin" until she was standing on the opposite side of the arena, dissecting his guise with a sharp gaze.

She… She hadn't _even realized_ that he hadn't bowed out, this time.

Her eyes sharpened as Kabuto reached up to scratch the back of his nervously in a show of false meekness. He looked up at her with a weak smile. "Ahaha… Well, may the best man win, Uzumaki-kun."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Forfeit."

A small silence descended; Naruto had said it louder than she had intended.

A look of actual bemusement flickered on the older teen's face. "… Huh?"

"_Forfeit,_" she repeated, a frigid stare in place. She didn't know _why_ he hadn't bowed out this time around, but previously she had figured that his initial forfeit in the past was because he had other tasks to attend to that were too important to chance ending up in the finals—for instance, organizing the Oto invasion.

Inwardly, Naruto berated herself—she had been so focused on other things that she hadn't noticed that he hadn't bowed out, hadn't even noticed that he was _in the same room_ until now. It mortified her, because it either meant that she was far too lax, or Kabuto was more of a threat than she had expected, at this time.

Kabuto was here, participating in the preliminaries, and noticeably _not_ doing whatever underhanded planning he had had to do last time. So what the hell was going on?

Kabuto chuckled nervously yet again, a sharper edge to the action this time, before settling into an attack position with an easy smile. "Sorry, but I'd rather not take the coward's way out. It'd be kinda embarrassing to fail another exam, don't you think?"

His smile sharpened, and Naruto could see the speculative gleam he had before.

'He's… He's here because he wants to test me,' she realized with a spark of ire. She supposed she should have expected this, after her telling stint with Orochimaru.

And yet, even then she could tell he was underestimating her.

'So be it,' she thought quietly, fingers twitching as her chakra swirled. 'You want to see what I'm capable of? Let's see if you're even _able_.'

Hayate stepped up, glancing between the two shinobi before calling out the start of the match.

Naruto dropped to the ground, crossed her legs and closed her eyes.

Her own chakra immediately started grasping at the plentiful Nature Chakra surrounding her, but as usual, she kept the vast majority at bay—she only wanted to gather enough for her to sense her opponent, while also keeping it minimal enough that not even the most attuned of sensors could sense the subtle shift in her chakra.

She felt Kabuto hesitate at her abrupt and strange action, her focus centered around the potentially dangerous "Genin." Naruto had no intention of revealing her own abilities to him, not when it could potentially be used against her at this point in time. Not yet.

It was _his_ move.

* * *

Sakura had come back just as Naruto's match was called, to her relief.

She had only seen Naruto _actually fight_ once before during wave, and even then, something told her that the blonde was holding back. (Not that she _wouldn't_ be holding back against a Genin when she held back against a highly-ranked missing-nin, but the point was that Sakura didn't want to miss any of Naruto's battles if she could help it.)

As Naruto and Kabuto faced off quietly, waiting for the proctor to call the match, Sakura could tell that even Sasuke and _Kakashi_ were riveted, waiting for the moment that the tenuous silence broke.

But, true to her usual nature, Naruto did something that they hadn't been expecting.

She sat down and closed her eyes, looking for all the world that she was going to meditate.

And Sakura _stared_.

Confusion swelled as the other spectators observed the odd blonde, and only a few individuals in the room observed her with more intensity at the action, gazes sharpening in anticipation and scrutiny.

Although Sakura logically knew that Naruto had her reasons (and, despite what people assumed, almost always had a logical reason for the things she did), she was just as confused as most everyone else that Naruto was just _sitting_ there.

A sharp prod from her left stirred her from her confusion and she glanced to an irritable, nearly-hissing Ino. "What is Naruto-baka _doing_, forehead?"

Sakura didn't know exactly when she and Ino had returned to speaking terms (in fact, she recalled that the last time they spoke Ino was under the impression that Sakura still wanted to be her "love rival") but she was more focused on the match and her own confusion. She shook her head and turned back to the arena with a frown. "I… I don't know."

Sakura stiffened as Kabuto slowly eased out of his stance, head tilted to the side in contemplation. Cautiously, he walked over to Naruto, posture stiff and ready for retaliation.

The other members of Team Seven watched, and Sakura's eyes darted from Kabuto, to Naruto, to Kakashi, and back to Kabuto intermittently as the pale-haired Genin neared her seemingly oblivious teammate. Finally, her eyes settled on Kakashi and her voice fell in a whisper. "… Kakashi-sensei, what—what is Naruto _doing_? Why isn't—why isn't she—"

She abruptly cut off when Kabuto stopped in front of the blonde and kneeled, gaze suddenly different and _dangerous_. Sakura had noticed Naruto's strange tension that she had tried to hide before the First Exam (Sakura had _eyes_—sure, she missed these things before but now she knew Naruto and she _knew what she saw_), and knew that it had resulted from Kabuto. At first, she had dismissed it as Naruto being paranoid and wary, and it wasn't until their run-in with Orochimaru and those Oto-nin that Sakura realized just _what_ it was that Naruto was worried about.

There were dangers in the exam, even more than some of the Jounin-sensei realized.

And, seeing that look in Kabuto's eyes, coupled with Naruto's odd behaviour regarding the Genin, decidedly left her _uncomfortable_.

Sakura noticed the Genin's hand twitch towards his kunai pouch the same time Sasuke did. Sakura was prepared to go down there and interfere herself, consequences be damned, but Sasuke's voice roared past her own deliberations.

"_Naruto! Move!_"

At that moment, Naruto suddenly appeared behind Kabuto in a flash of yellow and orange, and Sakura sucked in a breath at the brief but startlingly heavy pressure that pressed down on her for a moment.

Kabuto had frozen, Naruto's hand on his neck a threatening gesture for him to remain still. And…

The other Naruto, who was seated, still had her eyes closed.

"What—!" Sakura heard Ino exclaim in bafflement, turning between her own stunned sensei and the odd sight in the arena. "Is—Is that a _Kage Bunshin!?_ But he didn't even make any _seals!_"

A brief glance around the room revealed that many others were in a state of similar shock, though not quite as vocal as Ino. Sakura's gaze returned to the pair in the arena, and narrowed her eyes. Kabuto wasn't moving, and even though Naruto's hand on his neck was a threatening move, he could still attempt to release himself. Why wasn't he?

"… I forfeit," Kabuto spoke up at last, his earlier smile returning. It left Sakura uneasy for some reason, however genuine it seemed.

Naruto's eyes narrowed before she turned to the proctor, who nodded.

"Uzumaki Naruto is the winner."

A brief flicker of indecision flashed through her eyes before she released Kabuto, and her Bunshin (was it?) fazed out of existence instead of a cloud of smoke. As soon as she leapt up to the viewing platform, Sakura and Sasuke (the latter of which surprised Sakura—she didn't think she had ever seen him look so agitated) approached her.

Sasuke scowled as he looked her over, apparently unconvinced that she had come away unscathed despite having seen that no blows were exchanged. "What was that?"

At Naruto's unimpressed look, Sakura sighed. She still _liked_ Sasuke, but he wasn't exactly… "How did you do that?" She specified with curiosity. "Was that a Bunshin down there?"

Naruto turned to Sakura with a half-smile. "Yeah. It was a Kage Bunshin, just a modified version that I created by channeling my chakra into the ground. I switched out with it using Kawarimi."

"But why wasn't Kabuto moving?" Sasuke pressed, scowl still in place. "He could have."

Naruto blinked, presumably in surprise. She glanced to Sakura. "You guys noticed that?"

Sakura wondered if she should feel offended at the comment, but Sasuke remained placid, waiting for the answer. She settled for accepting it as another one of Naruto's quirks.

The impressed smile the blonde sent them both made it slightly more acceptable. "Wow. I'm pretty sure only a few others noticed it—half of the Jōnin didn't. They probably thought holding Kabuto in a threatening position really was enough to keep him restrained." At this, Sakura blinked. That was… True. She herself had realized that Kabuto wasn't quite what he seemed, and his act was rather convincing.

"Anyway," Naruto continued, turning her right hand over and pointing at a small blood inscription drawn on her palm. "This is a paralysis seal. The actual seal is a little more complex, but the rest I formed with chakra—I just channeled it into his system, resulting in him being unable to move."

Sakura went wide-eyed. "But—but doesn't that require chakra control? A _lot_ of chakra control?" She examined the strange inscription, but she didn't know any fuuinjutsu so the endeavor to examine it and find out its secrets was soon abandoned. She eyed Naruto with a narrowed gaze. "Exactly how strong _are_ you?"

Naruto blinked owlishly. "… What does that have to do with anything."

Sakura and Sasuke shared a glance, both wearing slight grimaces in a display of odd synchronicity.

Sasuke turned away with a huff and Sakura sighed, feeling her earlier pride at her own victorious match draining slightly.

Naruto was far ahead of their generation, and this was something that Sakura had known for a while now, ever since the mission to Wave. She still had yet to come to complete terms with it, but she certainly was close.

And honestly, she didn't know if the girl's obliviousness made her feel better or worse.

… But that was what made Naruto _Naruto_, she supposed.

(And she quietly cherished the fact that she had been called "Sakura-chan," as Naruto had promised.)

* * *

Seeing as her teammates had apparently fulfilled their "interact with Naruto" quota for the day, Naruto turned away to cast a cursory glance over the room. Her gaze fell on the retreating forms of Kabuto and his team, and just as the pale-haired Genin began to turn, she averted her gaze with a frown.

Naruto had already told the Sandaime what she knew of the events during the Third Exam, but it was evident that events _this_ time around were going to be different.

He knew that. _She_ knew that; it was a logical conclusion to her own interferences to the timeline, however minor. She had made changes, and while they would affect how trustworthy her knowledge of the future was, logically she knew that _they were prepared for changes_.

But she still didn't like the unease that rested at the pit of stomach.


End file.
